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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 5, 2003 -A3 Wanted: 10 new doctors for Oakville By Dennis Smith S P E C IA L TO T H E B EA V ER Web sites, job fairs and requests for assistance are all part of plans to bring more fam ily doctors to Halton. Halton's physician recruit ment co-ordinator says the region is short by nearly 40 doc tors, with about 10 more needed in Oakville. Angela Sugden-Praysner said each community is taking differ ent approaches to filling the gap. "There are benefit packages and moving allowances." she said. "And Milton and Halton Hills are considered under-serviced." Sugden-Praysner said six physicians in training have recently toured parts of Halton. She said they'll be finishing their residency in July and are seeking a place to practice after that time. A key marketing tool for Halton is a Web site launched last fall. " Lots of physicians and resi dents are using it to find out about Halton." said SugdenPraysner. "There have been almost 7,(X)0 hits to the Web site and we get a lot of e-mail. They're interested in finding out about Halton." The site - www.physicianopportunities.ca - lists the opportu nities and specific needs in Halton. Elsewhere in the region, 13 doctors are needed in Burlington, 15 in Halton Hills and one in Milton. Sugden-Praysner said Milton has succeeded in recruiting seven doctors during the past year. But she.expects doctor retire ments will create concerns for the next 15 years. "Their average age is 40-50 and they'll be thinking about when they're going to retire." Sugden-Praysner has toured Ontario's five medical schools and will soon visit Montreal. A career day for opportunities out side Quebec is being held there by the Quebec Association of Interns and Residents. Developers band together for 0MB hearing (Continued from page A1) be conscious of costs," he said. The Ontario Municipal Board (O M B ) has registered 15 parlies and 70 participants interested in taking part in a hearing on Oakville's Official Plan Amendment 198 (OPA 198). The plan, which governs the Town's future growth north of Dundas Street, will come under scrutiny beginning on May 26. The hearing is expected to run through much of the summer. While the large land develop ers. who are parties to the hear ings, are each represented indi vidually by lawyers at the hear ing, they have also formed a group called North Oakville Management Inc. Through the organization, the developers have hired consult ants and commissioned studies relating to growth north of Dundas Street, said vice-presi dent Lyn Townsend. She said the developers are also working together to coordi nate their issues of concern regarding OPA 198, to ensure the hearing moves forward in the most efficient manner possible. She said the development industry is concerned about the level of confusion surrounding the OPA 198 process. "W e want to make sure it's clear the development industry has a respect for the natural her itage in Oakville, has a respect for the process and is an active and engaged partner in the process," said Townsend. The O M B has now posted Oakville documents on its Web site (www.omb.gov.on.ca), in cluding the board order from the first pre-hearing conference, and a full listing of parties and partic ipants to the hearing. Parties are individuals or groups who will participate in the full hearing. They are allowed to lead evi dence. as well as examine all evi dence discussed. Parlies are also liable to pay any costs the board may decide to award. Participants are individuals or groups that wish to provide information to the board, but may be involved on a more nar row range of issues. They have no liability for costs. Registered parties include the Town of Oakville, Halton Region and the conservation authority, a number of large land developers and several environ mental and ratepayer organiza tions. There are a wide range of par ticipants registered, including over 50 individuals, and groups such as the city of Burlington, the Halton District School Board, the Oakville Community Centre for Peace Ecology and Human Rights, and several residents' Peter C. McCusker- Oakville Beaver Environmental consultant Peter W illiam s examines rotten tree during a guided tour of the iroquois Shoreline Woods Saturday morning. Town will remove dead trees (Continued from page A1) preservation of Iroquois Woods as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA ). But another Edgeware Road resident, John Sherman, added that designations such as this aren't a guarantee against future development. " Oakville used to have 13 ESAs, we have far less than that now." he said. As the town manager of forestry and cemetery services, John McNeil said, " It would be against my professional ethic to turn this into anything but a healthy forest -- this woodlot is dynamic to the ecosystem." Contending with the natural forces that have contributed to the decline of oak trees in Shoreline Wpods is M cN eil's current focus. It is estimated 90 per cent of Iroquois Woods' red oaks and about 80 per cent of the white oaks are dead or dying. In 1997 a five-year long severe drought began. A mass infestation in 2000 and 2001 of fall cankerworm. a heavy frost in June 2000, and the progress of shoestring fungus and secondary pests on already weakened trees snowballed before anyone real ized the catastrophic loss of all the oak trees, said McNeil. " If this forest had been thinned 20 to 30 years ago, it is unlikely it would be in its current state." · Environmental consultant Peter Williams But even before all of this, these trees were already fighting for space. According to Pete Williams, a forestry and environmental consultant hired by the town to manage the problems in Shoreline Woods, this could have been prevented. " If this forest had been thinned 20 to 30 years ago. it is unlikely it would be in its current state." Oak trees are a very tempera mental species to work with as it is, he added, which explains the diminished supply of the town's namesake in local forests. In Shoreline Woods alone 500 oak trees were planted 10 years ago. " That many aren't there now." said the town's forestry manager McNeil. "Oak is just not a strong competitor in such a forest." To regenerate oak growth, the consultant William s is proposing to remove the dead trees for lum ber (the money from the sale of these will go toward paying for its revitalization) and cutting those in moderate to severe decline down to their stumps in the hopes that shoots w ill sprout up through the base. It is more difficult to develop oak from a seedling, added Williams. The consultant is also propos ing eliminating the invasive shrub buckthorn from Iroquois Shoreline and to find ways to better control the wild honey suckle bushes. The forest's next growth stage w ill likely be dominated by heartier red and sugar maples, and perhaps more diversity will be introduced to include cherry trees and even more white pines along the perimetre. A second public walk through Shoreline Wood is scheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 8. To register call Janet Devenish at 905-8456601, ext. 3076. The provincial government currently owns the woodlot. but it is on lease to the Town until April 2033 for recreational use. There is also a clause in the land agreement that could extend the life of this lease for another 50 years. Property tax assessment tool now available on-line The Town of Oakville has launched a virtual property tax assessment tool for Oakville residents. Up-to-date property tax assessment information can now be obtained by visiting www.town.oakvi 1 le.on.ca. By visiting the Web site, property owners can compare the new assessed value, based on a June 2001 market value, to the old value. The program automatically calculates the percentage increase between the two values. The program is user-friendly and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Users can access information by address, property roll number or postal code. The assessment roll is also available in print copy at the Town of Oakville Municipal Offices, 1225 Trafalgar Rd. Property owners can make comparisons between their own current value assessments (CVA) and those of their neigh bours, as well as all properties in Oakville. Property owners who want to file an Assessment Appeal must do so before March 31, 2003. Residents who want to file a Request for Reconsideration after examin ing the information must do so prior to December 31. 2003. Request for Reconsideration and Appeal Application forms are available on the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) web site, or at the Town of Oakville Municipal Offices. The MPAC office serving Halton and Peel Regions is located at 6745 Century Ave., Mississauga. For telephone inquiries in regard to assess ments, call 1-866-296-6722. The MPAC Web site is www.mpac.on.ca. ! * · [ <-- k « | m m untt nit HtkUllHnmu' TH EOAKVILLEBEM North Americas most /warded News|*i|x*r Meray Motors For subscription info please call: 905-845-9742 Join us from Noon - 4pm on Saturday, February 8, 2003 NOW! Lease rate also available on other C -C lass Models* O ne Day PRINCESS CRUISES f ^ Super Saturday Sate! A ll Itin e ra ries! AH S h ip s ! 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