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

Feb. 2, 1994 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER ~COMMENT Conclusion of ‘birds and the bees‘ talk was a letdown i 0, I‘m sprawled on the couch in Sa terry bathrobe and crocheted slippers, a charming sight to be sure, flipping through Runner‘s World and listening with one ear to a few Neil Young tunes. It‘s a quiet Saturday morning; the kind we adore. I sit, working on my second pot of coffee and a stack of magazines and newspapers. My spouse putters downstairs. The kids fun back and forth delivering mesâ€" sages to each other. Just then, I realize my fourâ€"yearâ€" old son is trying to ask me a question. You know how it is, the typical Basement accommodatidn sCen as . " (Continued from page 1) The meat of these protection meaâ€" sures are the result of the Lightman (Report, a Commission of Inquiry into IUnregulated Residential Accommodation in Ontario, which began in 1991 following a coroner‘s inquest into the death of a unregulatâ€" d boarding home resident. Davis maintains he doesn‘t know whether the number of units will increase or decrease once the legislaâ€" tion becomes law, but said Bill 120 is ‘fuseless" except for giving everyone he right to an apartment. This is compounded by the Rental Control ct which doesn‘t encourage investors to sink money into new apartments. As the stock of legal units levels off, the number of baseâ€" ment apartments increase. "They‘re there now, but to what ’flegree, everyone‘s guessing," said Davis. Bouillon explained that â€" despite substandard conditions â€" the populariâ€" ty of basement apartments continues, aince they offer both affordable housâ€" F'ng and extra income for the landlord. Yet while he has seen some "absoâ€" tely palatial" basement apartments, 3Jouillon has witnessed others that are p, cold and unpainted with little fire separation, insects, no privacy ind even earthen floors. They attract parental guilt. Here you are dreaming about running in public in a less embarrassing time than usual, getting right into interval training techniques, and you realize there is this persistent voice repeating his question. "But how do the babies get inside the mommy?" What? I‘m in the middle of nutriâ€" tion tips for runners, listening to Neil croon about a harvest moon and, sudâ€" denly, it‘s sex ed 1019 Where, pray tell, is the sound of scampering footsteps from a spouse keen to explain all to his son? Where is the male bonding? lowâ€"income tenants who more or less must accept thirdâ€"rate living condiâ€" tions. "There has to be imposed certain basic standards to get away from the fire traps," said Bouillon who, like Davis, couldn‘t hazard a guess the number of such units in Oakville. "We don‘t know how many accidents are waiting to happen." Housing Minister Evelyn Gigantes, however, puts the blame for such tragedies as the Mississauga New Year‘s Day fire which killed a mother and son on restrictive municiâ€" pal zoning bylaws. Davis explained most of the work in basement apartments is done by the homeowner/landlord. As a result, there is often improper ventilation, electrical connections and plumbing. The cost of improvements is often. prohibitive so tenants are left to tempt fate. "They‘re not the accommodation of choice, but a necessity," said Davis. According to John Peters, chief fire prevention officer with the Oakville Fire Department, there have been incidents in local basement apartments but fortunately no fataliâ€" ties. If Bill 120 becomes law, he, like Bouillon and Davis, feels certain basic guidelines must be included. "As long as adequate fire safety FOX PARTNERS LIMITED TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY 418 North Service Road East, Suite 3C OAKVILLE, Ontario, L6H 5R2 (416) 849â€"6583 SHAMPOO CUT STYLE Q‘o‘o 99 Reg. $35 First visit only Expires Feb. 28 _ FREE PARKING | 139 Thomas St. (3 blocks west of Trafalgar North of Lakeshore) p#~ SUNDAY TO THURSDAY after 9 p.m. WINGS 25¢ each Live from NEW YORK We Welcome ANTHONY Award winning colour technician and master stylist. HIGHLIGHTS OR COLOUR INCLUDES CUT ‘od‘ 4 Reg. From $65 First visit only * Expires Feb. 28 J U Manne S i. | WEEKLY SPECHALS MONDAYS â€" PUB NIGHT Join us for traditional pub fare and draught specials. LOONIE TUESDAYS Buy one entrée and receive a second entrée of equal or lesser value for $1.00 (to maximum of $10). WEDNESDAYS â€" PASTA NIGHT %21905ur delicious pasta specials for only THURSDAYS â€" WING NIGHT Plump, hot, roaster wings â€" 25¢ each. FRIDAYS SATURDAYS Dinner specials â€" Come in and enjoy! 849â€"6414 DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS But, yes, I do hear them now. There they are...the unmistakable sound of footsteps beginning to charge upstairs only to pause and, slowly and deliberately, make their way back downstairs. ,__Man. I tell you. There has never been such frenetic devotion to the standards are incorporated into the legislation," says Peters. In an effort to see this through, area fire departments and other agenâ€" cies have banded together to discuss the issue and make recommendations regarding these guidelines. In addiâ€" tion to the Oakville and Mississauga fire departments, the Ontario Fire Code Task Group on Accessory Apartments includes representatives from the Ministry of Housing, the Ontario Fire Marshal‘s Office and the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association. Peters, who served on the panel, almighty basement as there was that day. This is obviously going to be a solo act. The poor boy...I mean, I haven‘t even read all those parent tips on how to deal with this. One, because I think they‘re stupid. And two, I think they think the kids are stupid, too. So, I launch into what I hope won‘t be too inane an explanation. I am uncomfortably aware of the meaningâ€" ful silence from below. "You know, Drew, it‘s like animals, right?" say I, in a confident voice, all the: time smug about how impressed the man from the basement will be a necessity, says while it may not be possible to implement all their suggestions, sevâ€" eral remain vital: sprinklers in baseâ€" ment apartments; adequate "floor separation" between dwelling units; smoke detectors and a secondary escape route. If safety standards are passed, says Peters, the bottom line will be that landlords must comply or rectify the situation. ‘"There is no one forcing you to have a basement apartment," he said. Bouillon agrees, explaining that once made legal â€" and if all the necesâ€" sary standards are set in place â€" the after he hears how mommy handles this little gem. And how difficult can it be? I mean, the kid‘s only four. ""Well, honey, they have babies and so do we. And the woman doggie and the daddy doggie (I really can‘t believe what was coming out of my mouth, to the sounds of muffled laughter from the basement) they make babies, too." "I know that," says my solemn son. "But I don‘t quite understand." I don‘t quite understand. Can you believe it? I mean, at four, I probably didn‘t understand why I couldn‘t tie not choice Town can at last force landlords to retrofit. After all, legal apartments are covered by stringent property stanâ€" dards while illegal units are essentialâ€" ly untouchable. "It would break your heart to see how some people live," said Bouillon. "All the municipality can do is evict you." The answer, says Davis, is for municipalities and the province to work together closely for solutions â€" not battle over the existence of the legislation itself. _ "If Bill 120 is killed (basement apartments) won‘t go away," he said. laces. But babies? What did I care? So, what the hell, I just said it. I told him about sperm, eggs, the whole bit. "But how does the sperm get into the mommy? Is there a tube?" he asked again. He pushes small cars into the blanket that is acting as a large tunnel. There was absolute silence from the basement. The man was probably chewing a pillow case, while I writhed in agony above him. "Well, no there isn‘t a tube," said I. Drew listens closely. His cars are simultaneously making deep groves in the hardwood floor all the while he is listening. So, Drew gets the whole story. I tell him that people have sex. Because, really, when it comes down to it, I can‘t see what all the fuss is about. And what was my diminutive fourâ€"yearâ€"old‘s reaction to it all? "Oh," he said. "Do I have to give Kate my favorite red micro mini truck to play with like she said?" I said ‘no‘ and he was off. So much for the birds and the bees. Time to get onto the real important matters in life, like figuring out the micro mini machine and the best way to hang Batman from his hook. I tell you, we should all be fourâ€"yearsâ€"old again. On some days, it looks pretty good. WILL You prive T ME TO THE ARENA , MOM2 TOWN HALL MEETING CALENDAR Local Councillior, Local REGULAR CGOUNCIL MEETING Monday, February 7, 1994 7:30 p.m. Council Chamber MUNICIPAL ELECTION ‘94 RUNNING FOR OFFICE? If you plan to seek office in the 1994 Municipal Election, you must register with the Municipal Clerk before you spend or raise any money for campaign activities. This requirement applies to every person who intends to seek elected office as Mayor, and Regional Councillor, School Board Trustee or Hydroâ€" ME OF BOA TT Citizens Transit Advisory Committee 6 (3 citizens at large and 3 citizens at large from special transit interest groups) NOTE: Appointments to this committee will be for terms of 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. Please signify your preference on the application form. Halton Region Safety Council 1 (Appointee will also serve on the Traffic Advisory Committee which meets the first Wednesday monthly) ACE 11 Fra A e3 TOWIN OF OAKVILLE BOARD APPOINTMENT Applications will be received by the Town Clerk until 4:30 p.m., Friday, February 18, 1994 from any resident of Oakville who would like to be considered for an appointment to one of the following Advisory Boards or Committees. NUMBEROF MEETING SCHEDULE VACANCIES Special Committee Against Impaired Driving 1 mes St Il;x lenses with purchase of your e Large selec 0/ s Doctor’s(,! ap * -?;Il:ggzept all vision care Ofi programs Trafalgar Village 125 CroSsS Ave. by Steve Nease tion of frames po‘mtment On a Wednesday which is convenient to the Committee members (evening) each month Third Wednesday (evening) each month First Tuesday (morning) each month Electric Commissioner. The Bearded Collie also invites you to play darts pool available now at For further information, please call Pat McPherson at 845â€"6601, Ext. 3136 or Magda 2x Kitteringham at 338â€"4393. It is requested that applicants submit the application form which is available in the Clerk‘s Department. For more information contact Bev Underhill, Election Coâ€"ordinator Clerk‘s Department at Judith Muncaster the back of the Publ! 845â€"6601, extension 3093. Town Clerk OWN OF OAKVILLE CALL BEFORE yOU 1226 Trataigar Hoau 234 Lakeshore Rd. E. CAMPAIGN! Oak\L/gls. 2?’:‘3"0 Oakville _ 1225 TRAFALGAR ROAD « OAKVILLE, ONTARIO « L6H 2L1 ‘-Lâ€"â€" \ ocm * PUB : RESTAURANT