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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, April 15, 2010 · 6 The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 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. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary Guest Columnist Investing in the future John Oliver, president/CEO, Halton Healthcare Services ext Monday, Oakville Town councillors will be asked to make one of the most important decisions concerning the future of our town. They will vote on the requested municipal contribution for the new Oakville hospital. John Oliver We at Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) know this is a substantial amount of money and councillors have a big decision before them. They also have a great opportunity before them -- an opportunity to demonstrate a shared vision for the future of Oakville. People choose to live in Oakville because of our high standard of living -- health and access to high-quality health care is central to this quality of life we enjoy and value. A new, modern hospital for Oakville will mean: · Increased capacity to care for Oakville's growing and aging population · Timelier access to care, close to home · Advanced clinical equipment for faster diagnoses · A new cancer clinic · Increased privacy and improved infection control for patients and families Building a new hospital for Oakville is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Oakville is very fortunate to have approval and a funding commitment from the Province to construct a new hospital at a time when the government is faced with serious fiscal constraints. This opportunity may never be presented again and we cannot afford to let it pass us by. The current Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) has served Oakville well, but it is an aging facility with no room to grow. OTMH was established more than 60 years ago when a group of citizens had the foresight to build a hospital for Oakville in Oakville. I am confident our municipal leaders have the same foresight. Our Town and Regional councillors have been very diligent in asking questions on behalf of residents. The comments, questions and words of encouragement forwarded to us have been very insightful. We have done our very best to provide the information Council needs to make an informed decision. We have been asked to disclose the full estimated costs for the project. In order to preserve the integrity of the competitive bidding process for the project, Infrastructure Ontario does not allow this disclosure to happen publicly at this time. With their proven track record, we believe the procurement process established by Infrastructure Ontario will deliver our project on time and on budget while providing value for money. See Making page 7 NEIL OLIVER Vice-President and Group Publisher, Metroland West 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 The Oakville Beaver is a division of WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com Suburban Newspapers of America Media Group Ltd. N RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville ATHENA Award RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER TOP FUNDRAISER: Halton Region's Employee United Way Committee presented the United Way of Oakville (UWO) with $131,000 raised by Halton Region employees, including Halton Regional Police Service, through the committee's 2009 UWO fundraising campaign. From left, Regional Chair Gary Carr, Mary Cardamone, UWO cabinet chair for 2010, Helen Choat, chair of the regional employee campaign, UWOCEO Barbara Burton and Halton Police Chief Gary Crowell. Times when even escape artists can't get away from reality I 'm told that the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. My mother used to escape in sports. Although she'd casually watch football or hockey, baseball was her game and, from their inception in 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays were her team. Whenever the Jays were playing, she could be found sitting in front of the TV in the sunroom with my father, enjoying a glass of wine, sharing conversation and a bowl of salty peanuts, unwinding, watching inning after inning, cheering, analyzing, enjoying, escaping. Sometimes, however, even escape artists -- like my mother, like me, two great Houdinis -- cannot get away. Escape, you see, can be elusive. And reality is one dogged pursuer. One day the reality became evident that my father was losing his mind, a victim of vascular dementia. Another day my mother was diagnosed with cancer, news that would eventually prove to be a death sentence. And at some point down that stretch of perilous road, my father passed away, leaving my mother alone in that sunroom, trying to lose herself, and dull her spreading pain, in the clutch of a close game. It's mid-April and everywhere around me are reminders of my mother. Last week the Blue Jays' 2010 season took flight in Texas. Closer to home, daffodils are abloom, and canvassers are knocking, collecting for the cause, collecting to combat the disease that, 11 years ago, took my mother: beat her to the ground, wrested her strength, withered her body and even tried to steal her soul. Andy Juniper I turn on the TV, with escape on my mind. The Toronto Raptors are facing the Denver Nuggets. Basketball is one sport my mother never caught on to. I try to lose myself in the game's rhythm, in the action, the squeak of sneakers, the roar of the crowd, and in the voice of the announcer, who between plays tell the story of the Nuggets 58-year-old coach George Karl. Back in February, Coach Karl was diagnosed with throat cancer. Treatable, he was told: 35 treatment sessions over six weeks. Karl vowed to coach through the treatments, which would assuredly leave his mouth parched and his throat torched, and leave him barely able to speak, and unable to eat, save for through a feeding tube. It was similar to the treatment my mothered endured, in her case, post-surgery. And it was nothing shy of hell on earth. As the treatments robbed her of the ability to eat, her strength, her passion, they at once started to slowly steal her will to live. The announcer continued, saying that, despite coach Karl's desire and determination to continue coaching, the treatments had become too much, and had forced him to the sidelines. Where he remains. Contrary to what you might think -- given that this story hit so close to home -- I didn't abandon the game. But I did find myself switching my allegiance for the afternoon: cheering the Nuggets to a last-second win over my Raps. Coach Karl, back in Denver enduring another treatment, needed that win way more than I did. It's April. The Blue Jays have taken flight. Daffodils are abloom, and canvassers are knocking. Greet them with a smile. Thank them for taking the time. Remember all your loved ones -- family, friends, neighbours -- affected by this insidious disease. And dig deep. Andy Juniper can be visited at www.strangledeggs.com, contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, or followed at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters.