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540 Golden Hawks need to find a new home by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Friday, January 8, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The 540 Golden Hawks Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron is looking for a place to call its own. In five months, its headquarters, at 170 Kerr St.,will be torn down as part of the Oakville Arena and Trafalgar Park redevelopment -- ultimately leaving the squadron without a home. Dan Modestino, chair of the Squadron Sponsor Committee, said it's bittersweet as squadron members scramble to find a new space to house uniforms and equipment and act as their headquarters. The Kerr location has been the squadron's home for more than 44 years. As the 540 Golden Hawks squadron -- which has been in Oakville 64 years and has more than 200 cadets in its programs -- goes over its options and its future in the community, its members have expressed disappointment with how the scenario played out. "We feel slighted because they (the Town of Oakville) didn't notify us," said Modestino about the municipality's plans to redevelop Oakville Arena and the area that surrounds it. "We heard it through the news that they were going to be renovating the arena and that they were going to be moving the firehall... so that's when we questioned the Town," said Major Lisa LaCombe, the squadron's commanding officer. The redevelopment project is currently addressed in the 2015 capital budget as construction is planned for 2017-18. However, in the meantime, the Town has been making plans to close the firehall near the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts and open one at the corner of Rebecca and The 540 Golden Hawks Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron is looking for a place to call home. In five months, its headquarters, pictured here, at 170 Kerr St. will be torn down as part of the Oakville Arena and Trafalgar Park redevelopment. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_ photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Kerr streets. Construction for the new firehall will begin in June 2016. The Golden Hawks met with Michael Brennan, the Town's senior manager of recreation services, and Ward 2 Councillor Cathy Duddeck last year to verify what its members had heard and to discuss their concerns. Modestino said it was upsetting that the air cadets weren't even considered as a stakeholder when redevelopment plans were in the works. The squadron has been a good tenant to the Town, paying property taxes and paying for any maintenance the house, that served as its headquarters, has needed over the years, he explained. Without fail, the majority of 540 Air Cadet Squadron cadets' fundraising efforts have, over the years, gone towards supporting building improvements, general maintenance, property tax and utility costs of the 170 Kerr St. headquarters, he said. In addition, the Squadron also pays the Town more than $9,000 each year for space rental at T.A Blakelock High School and Montclair Public School for weekly training activities, he said. Brennan told the Oakville Beaver hundreds of residents turned out to its initial public consultation meetings that were held "literally next door" to the cadets. It was advertised in the local newspaper and on the Town's website, he noted. "Did we physically go and tell them that the arena was being built? No. Not until it went to (Town) council and council actually said we will endorse putting money into the capital forecast and determine what year that was going to happen," he said. Brennan added that when plans were firm see Squadron on p.7 Lunch, Learn & Enjoy For our clients, their guests, and prospective clients Maintaining a Happy, Healthy Brain Danielle Arbour Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton Presented by Better Brain Health A STEP BEYOND IN CARE Salima Kassam Reg. Chiropodist Tuesday, February 2, 2016 12pm - 1pm Holiday Inn, 590 Argus Road, Oakville (Southwest of Trafalgar Road and the QEW) · Foot/Arch Pain? · Ingrown Toenails? · Diabetes? · Swollen Ankles? · Corns, Calluses? Do you have: RSVP (905) 842-2100 Ext. 2 info@peterwatsoninvestments.com RSVP no later than Monday, January 25 Call for an appointment 905-632-1414 728 Burloak Drive www.footandhealthclinic.com