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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 6, 2008 - 7 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Good education shouldn't be blocked Continued from page 6 input. They have had architects and board staff available to address any concerns. What we have now is a concerted effort to urge local politicians to stop this rebuild. A campaign is clearly underway with multi-page glossy photos, inaccurate information on flyers, street signs and websites. The concerns regarding noise and lighting from the rebuilt sports field as well as the issue of traffic, can all be dealt with as the board has clearly indicated. The new proposed STA enrolment will return to what it was a short time ago, prior to students moving to the new Holy Trinity High School. With many other environmental `sacrificial lambs' at your disposal, playing the ``environmental card'` in this case, is clearly a cheap shot. Every day, older homes in south Oakville are torn down to accommodate new large homes, developers clearing land to build new commercial property. Why not take them on? The high school students and families of south Oakville who have worked to get this rebuild completed, deserve better. To have SCORA and environmentalists like Recourt use these tactics to harm good education is shameful. Shame on you. Shame. JACQUES O'SULLIVAN The only right thing to do In response to one reader's opinion on cloth vs. disposable diapers, I commend him for taking the extra time and effort involved in using cloth diapers. However his comment referring to the use of disposable diapers that states "this is another example of the need for convenience over common sense and social responsibility, just like polluting the air while waiting in a drive-through line up at the local coffee shop" is offensive. He's essentially stated that all of us who use disposable diapers and drive-through line-ups lack common sense and social responsibility. For one to make such a serious allegation, I can only hope that the rest of his lifestyle is one that's entirely eco-friendly. With his own common sense and social responsibility, it would only be the right thing to do. K. BOSNJAK Reader sees a win-win for everyone I have been reading and watching this whole southeast Oakville school closure process intently for the past 19 years, and am pleased that a decision (unanimous) has finally been reached. While no one wants to see schools close, like it or not, PARC is over. After all of the petitions and appeals are considered, the community needs to accept the decision, and move on. What are we teaching our children by trying to sue the school board? Greg McGinnis and his supporters would be better off taking their $100,000 that they are asking the community to raise to hire lawyers and donating it to E.J. James to help purchase proper play equipment for the junior grades who will be attending in 2010. Nicolas Burbidge has put the whole process in the proper light in his Letter to the Editor dated July 23. All of the vacant space in the old schools cost a lot of money to maintain and in a small school the children suffer from huge staff turnover, lack of resource teachers, librarians, full-time principals and VPs, and access to extra curricular activities. With two options to consider, the trustees recognized this and appropriately voted for the JK to 8 model resulting in a balanced ward. In 2010, there will be three public schools south of Cornwall Drive (EJ James, Maple Grove and OTHS) and one north (Clearview). Fewer children will be bused and the schools will receive the long overdue renovations required. The way I see it, everyone wins. B. BANDIERA Warning: may lead to diabetes If channel surfing is your only form of exercise, see your doctor about diabetes today. www.diabetes.ca 1-800-BANTING (226-8464) DON'T PAY RETAIL! It comes with being part of the community FACTORY OUTLET SALE I hardly know what to say in response to SCORA's (Southwest Central Oakville Residents' Association) ridiculous cry for environmental protection with respect to the work planned for St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School (STA) in Oakville, but I feel compelled to put a few thoughts to paper. I'm certain there would have been no complaint had any of the SCORA members' children attended STA. Their children (if still in school) are likely enjoying the comforts and amenities of Appleby College down the street, which by the way is loaded with sports fields, tennis courts, buildings/structures, parking lots, roadways, etc. all along our sacred waterfront that I'm certain was home to more trees than we enjoy there today (were it available for the public to access as freely as they do STA's grounds). I'm also sure that the local environment was disturbed for those homeowners bordering the school's property when they had swimming pools built into their yards. I count five of the eight homes along the east side of Tavistock Square but the satellite image is certainly outdated. Did P. Baillie or C. Johnston complain just as strongly when residents dug up property to put in those swimming pools? I suppose it would annoy me as a homeowner to lose the privacy those trees afforded me, but I certainly wouldn't come charging forward to attack under the cloak of environmental concern. If SCORA needed a project to keep busy with, I'm sure STA would have appreciated their help through years of lobbying for upgrades to a moldy building that was certainly not a safe nor healthy environment for children to learn instead of stepping forward to cry for the trees only when plans were presented to upset the poolside view. They are complaining about the lighted fields. I don't have children attending that school as mine are still at home learning their alphabet; but if I did, I would certainly prefer they spend their evenings in safe, organized activity and exercise lit up by many lights, than be bored and searching for forms of entertainment in the darkness. Those who live in the neighbourhood should be just as happy about it. I have lighted fields next to my home. I have enough sense to appreciate the benefits to many more than the inconvenience to us few. Then there's the traffic complaint. They live next to a school. Of course there will be loads of cars coming early in the morning and mid-afternoon for dropoff and pick-up of students. Was there an alternate solution to this? Should classes be staggered through day and night to ease this busy period? They claim that all this will affect the value of their property. Housing costs are already tapering off in general. They shouldn't be allowed to blame this upgrade for market trends that are already expected in upcoming years. Besides, I would love to see their homes become more affordable. Perhaps the families that send their children to STA would then be able to live close to it and, thereby, decrease the need for so many commuters. DRINA JELICIC INSTALLATION OF CROWN MOULDING, OUTDOOR & INDOOR COLUMNS BY PROFESSIONAL FINISH CARPENTERS COLUMNS New for the Do-It-Yourselfers premade corners for all our profiles Over 70 smooth or patterned profiles WAINSCOTING deas. Showroom In Home Design Consultation Available. Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5, 201 Millway Ave., Unit 6 (One light north of Hwy. 7 & Jane) Thurs until 7, or Sat 10-3 www.elitemouldings.com 905-760-1665 416-245-1115 5