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

OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 23, 2009 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends 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: NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Why Oakville? We deserve an answer. Oakville residents have the right to know on what basis the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) selected the TransCanada site for a 900-megawatt gas-fired power plant over three other sites in Mississauga. The Royal Windsor site is just 400 metres from the closest residential neighbourhood while the three Mississauga sites are located in more secluded industrial areas. Residents in southeast Oakville are rightly concerned about the detrimental impact this plant will have on their lives. They are concerned about increased air pollution, noise vibrations, plume and emission controls, personal safety, declining property values and numerous other issues. Due to the size of the plant and its close proximity, their concerns are justified and it is not unreasonable to expect an explanation as to why the site was the preferred choice. Yet the OPA refuses to provide one. It has refused requests for an explanation from the residents, the Mayor, Town Council, provincial and federal politicians and the media. When the decision was first announced, the Oakville Beaver asked the OPA's Ben Chin to explain the criteria used to determine the decision, he indicated that information would not be forthcoming. The Town of Oakville is hoping to find out exactly why the Oakville site was chosen and is calling on the OPA to turn over the results of its evaluation of the TransCanada site and the other three sites that were considered. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn is also calling on the OPA to provide him with full transparency on its selection process. Perhaps the OPA is concerned that releasing its criteria publicly will only provide ammunition for TransCanada opponents in their legal and legislative challenges. But that's not acceptable. Transparency in government is a fundamental essential in a democratic society. Transparency provides accountability and informs citizens about what their government is doing. Governments are elected to serve and protect the public. The OPA cannot build this plant against our will without explaining why the TransCanada site was chosen. We demand an answer. We have the right to know. 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. Letter to the editor Golden opportunity I read with great interest the recent article (Speers to be widened over several years, Oakville Beaver, Oct. 8) outlining the multi-year plan to improve and widen Speers Road to include a dedicated left turn lane. This is welcome and long overdue news to many a driver (myself included) who have anxiously kept an eye on their rearview mirror while waiting to make a left hand turn into the variety of businesses and services along Speers Road. I have worked in the medical building at 1060 Speers Rd. since it opened in 1985. Speers Road was a tricky four lanes of traffic to negotiate and walk across 20 odd years ago. Traffic along Speers Road has increased markedly over the years and many of the vehicles coming eastbound along the straightaway from Third Line are consistently travelling well over the posted speed limit. I would suggest to the `powers that be' that they have a wonderful opportunity to be proactive and address the safety of pedestrians along this length of road -- namely controlled and lighted crosswalks somewhere along this busy thoroughfare. The span of Speers Road between Third Line and Fourth Line is a long stretch with no traffic lights. We are fortunate to have Oakville Transit bus stops directly outside our facility on both sides of Speers Road. This facility, with its x-ray, pharmacy, walk-in clinic, dental and medical offices, services a great many citizens over the course of a day -- some of them take public transit to get there. I know from firsthand experience that over the years, Oakville Transit drivers have left their buses and aided passengers, many of them seniors, across the road. It is just too dangerous for them to cross it alone. Town planners need to take a good, long look at this public safety issue. Better yet, spend a week or two trying to cross Speers Road a few times a day in my neck of the woods and see what you think. This is a golden opportunity...don't miss it. RACHEL A. ROSS Letters to the editor 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 email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Many hospital questions still unanswered Re: New Hospital Design Unveiled at Open House, Oakville Beaver. Oct. 15 Unfortunately I was out of town and missed the open house for the new Oakville Hospital. This was the first opportunity since Feb. 4 for a public meeting about our new hospital. At the Feb. 4 meeting at the Town Hall in Oakville, information about applications, property details and policy context were discussed. When questions were raised about the role of the private sector in day to day operations of the hospital and questions around financial costs arose, the host said this would come out at a public meeting later in the spring and we could sign up and be informed of the next meeting. This never happened. See Reader page 9 Pud BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com