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-1 A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, June 12, 2007 OPiNI~ N r Gardiner missed M.. ý The public education sy'steni in filton - and partîcularly schools in north Halton - suffered a serions loss last Tutesday wîîh the passing of Etlhct Gardiner. Gardiner, 69, spent ber entire aduit life tryring 10 makec a diflerence i tie educaton svstemt, be it through ber 39 years of teaching - 29 of whîch were spent in Halton schools - or her 11. vears as a Halton District School Board (HDSB) trustee. HDSB Edîicatîon Direclor Way ne joudrie cchoed the coninecnts of many colicagues wlben bc said Gardiner "atw,ýaNs put kîds first." To say that about sorti in the educa- tion field would be disin- genmons; about Gardiner il was the truth. WE: HAIE To MOVE Tro M )r ~li~tt A eiGGER GOO 55 nusra Dr., T1S ONE CAN<r kO Milton, Ont. L9T E U~Fi UICr-1Ac 905-878-2341 It is our opinion the HDSB neyer ran smocother than when Gardiner sat as its chair, Even during tur- butent unes, Gardiner attemptcd to gui trutsîcs 10 kecp Hahton students first and loremost in their thoughts when it carne t0 decision-making. While Gardiner's gravel1 ly voice may now be silenced, hier dedication t0 students, teachers and par- ents cannot be minimized or lorgoîten. Wc suggcst the fiDSB \vocld be wise to qîîickly establish an award -rec- ognîzîng the efforts of a student or students - that bears Gardiner's naine. It would be a lîîting trîb- ute 10 this selfless educator who atwax s put the kids first. Readers Writ.e E-mail your letters to rniltonei@haltonsearch em. Somne students in older parts of town Ieft with no school busing due to changes for eligibility DEAR EDITOR: Untike the majority of people in thîs town, 1 am Mitton-born and bred. 1 have watched tbe area become a thriving bustte of activity front the quiet littte bedroom town it used 10s be. White 1 arn not opposed t0 the new growtb we are experiencing, it will solon be btocking the lovety views of our escarpment. The extra 15 minutes that is added to my commute to gel in or out of town due to the expansion still does not botter me. Hosvever, the latest move by the sehoot board bas set me back on my beels. My children - aged six, seven and nine - bave been riding the bus to schoot since îbey bave been in junior kindergartens, and tbis coming flî the Halton District Scboot Board bas decided that we do not meet ils criteria (we bave been an exception to the poticy), so they witt no longer be able t0 take thc bus. When we regîsîered our kids at school, no one lever advised us that we were an exception 10 the policy Their Iriends, who tive 15 bouses away, will stîll quatly for tce bus, and yet others who have been taking the bus are expected to, walk. According to the boards transportation poî- icy: 1. Onty students residing in the Region of Halton, registered in a school operated by tbe Halton District Seboot Board or under pur- chase of service agreement may be etigibte for transportation service. 2. Distance Calculations a) The distances stated in tbe Transportation Poticy statement shaît be used to determine etigibility The distances mecas- ured wilt be the sbortest sale watking route atong road or walkway lrom sehoot property line to home property line. b) The Transportation Department using transportation software with tbe appropriate municipal map will make att measurements for transportation purposes. For me as a parent, salety is paramount. For my children t0 be expected to walk there sboutd be sidewatks, no construction and Please fix tennis courts at Bishop Reding DEAR EDITOR: A while ago someone made the point that Milton didot have enough aclivities for young people. t sec parks, conservation areas and enough room for physicat activity The one tbîng tack- ing, wbîch 1t hink the Town bas neglecîed, are the area tennis courts. Unless you're witting to pay for member- sbîp, you're teIt witb the Town courts. Most have no neîting or poor neîîing, as welt as uneven surfaces. Others, such as those lound at Bishop Redîng Secondary Schoot, are really bad. Citizens use them despite their conditions, t suggesl the Town gel together witb thc schoot bo fond the revitalizatuon of these courts off of Harris Boulevard. This woutd save botb the scboot and tbe Town, and altow people to have another activiîy CHRISTIAN HARRISON MILTON Aller discussion wiîh the appropriale authorities, t asked what the boards determi- nation of the "shortest sale walking route" was (according to the board transportation policy), and t was advised that my cbitdren could trav- et along 1_aurier Avenue, Up Vanier Drive, atong Bell Street to Heslop Road and then be at school. 1 inlonned the manager that Bell does not have a sidewatk, and questîoned il thîs was sale? Their response was "There are lots of streets in Halton witbout sidewatks." There is construction atong Heslop at the moment, however t arn assuming that witl be linîshed by September. The other option was to, watk through the Mitton District High Schoot area, where there are no crossing guards. Wben questîoned about the plan, 1 was advised that it was 10 accommodate the new growtb in Milton. So, in my opinion, the board and the Town are now accommodating the newest members of ibis communîty and are turning their backs on the rest. t don't disagree wiîh tbe lact ibai thîs new area Mil need busing, especîatty onti1 their new schoot us buit, but why sbould ait of the cbitdren and adutts who have establîsbed root-s in ibis cornmunitV bc just pushed aside? 1 have been totd that as t don't mccl the cri- tenia, there is nothing t can do. For all the par- ents who have routines and work commit- ments, or provide daycare services, this îs îruty an inconvenience, and most delinsitety teaves a bad taste in our mouths. JANET MARTIN LAURIER AVENUE D(ilsh WUN ossif Jigle tel laid UNITED WAY 0F MILTON TV AUCTION Qî1 YYMÇA , AI-A ~Aardçs ,il#nsoa MAA)AITO SANTA CLAUS PARADE Advectismng Fax. 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 ve,w.iTUtncanadiafhmpion com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor 1Karen Miceli Production Manager ins 1' k.' Circulation Manager (<'lai1n lna li Office Manager T,.r ias lThe Canadian Champion, publiilied every Tuesday and Friday, iiia division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. - Group Pubticlier lan Oliver Adisiiig is a(cepted nii the conidition hai, in tee evn o ypographcal esso, liai portion of the ade ts îeiaie iii iiped hy the eiianeo,îstem, iogeiheraauh a casonable aiiianeforioiigeiaite, iiiol ehariii to, but the blanee ni tiie ad euiseineii wiii lie paifo ai the applicable raie The pubichee reee the ricgin le ialegiieae adveeicemeinenso rdie Cr-AB Audited iliccJieîcz ied oexc.ellrece. iy ,j c a Newspapers Associaionl C* N ýNewspapee Assciation sK Subliaan Newspapers Kcf pmrc 1>1i (,naiiiCh Fspon