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8- The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 1, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR St. Thomas Aquinas students deserve a new school Re: St. Thomas Aquinas I have always believed in the right to protest, but never would I support the right to protest when using facts and figures that are incorrect and misleading. I refer to the facts and figures being used by the newly formed SCORA (Southwest Central Oakville Residents Assocaition) -- a combination of residents who live around St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School. For whatever reason, they believe that fear mongering is the best route to go when demanding, and I do mean demanding, changes to the proposed new design for the school. SCORA refers to between 280 to 500 cars trying to get out of the parking lot on a daily basis. Believe me when I say that if we had that many cars on a daily basis then we wouldn't be concerned about student population. While the proposed parking lot has been increased in size, I believe it is the intention of the school board to make the new and improved school facilities (inside and out) available to Oakville groups and therefore more parking would be required. As for the 100 to 150 mature trees which SCORA claims would be destroyed, it is obvious that SCORA and its members have not bothered to check the facts. The designer of this particular project was chosen by the Halton Separate Board because he came up with a design which would have the least amount of impact on the mature trees on the property. Once again, fear mongering seems to be the hallmark of the SCORA organization. As for the light pollution from the proposed turf field. Again, SCORA's claims don't stand up to scutiny. New lights focus on the field, not houses and the corner of Dorval and Rebecca was chosen as the site to minimize the impact. SCORA also points to the green space and the playing field will be lost to all nearby residents. It is obvious from this comment that few of the 300 people who have signed the SCORA petition have children at the school. If they did, they would know that the playing field is a disgrace and not because of neglect, simply because the number of sports teams for both boys and girls at the high school and at the rep level have beaten it to a pulp. We are lucky that no one has been seriously injured although some Aquinas CENTRE OF THE STORM: Plans to build a new St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School on the existing site has created a stir of controversy. students have twisted ankles due to the ruts throughout the field. I notice that SCORA does not mention the crumbing track which has been sprouting more weeds than gravel these days. If they are worried about having green space they have to look no further than Morden Public School on Rebecca less than a block from STA. How many SCORA members have actually visited STA and seen the dismal conditions of the school? We have three daughters, who have attended STA and there is no finer student body in Oakville. The last one is going into Grade 12 will not see the new school built, but even she knows St. Thomas students deserve the same facilities as students in other parts of Oakville. SCORA members should watch what they wish for. Consider this scenario: If they are successful in delaying these plans and the Separate Board gives up (and I have no reasonto believe this would happen) perhaps the members of SCORA would be happy with the board selling the land to developers. How would this scenario work with their protestations of destroyed vegetation and increased traffic? As Superintendent of Facility Management Services Giacomo Corbacio said in the Oakville Beaver, July 26: "Based on the tone of some of the letters I've seen, some people don't want anything to change there and that's not a realisitic option to the school board at this time." I call on all STA parents and students to make their feelings known to their local politicians. We have all worked too long and too hard to see the plan delayed. As for councillors, please do not be swayed by a high price campaign complete with websites, glossy handouts and street signs. Come, tour the school in September and see what STA students have been living with for far too many years and hopefully realize that your responsibility is for the greater good. While the plan for STA may be tweaked, please do not delay the redevelopment. SUE PRESTEDGE, PROUD STA PARENT Notice of Temporary QEW Ramp Closure Westbound QEW Exit Ramp to Kerr Street / North Service Road Starting August 11, 2008 ­ for two months To facilitate improvements to the QEW, the existing Kerr Street / North Service Road exit ramp from the westbound QEW (east of Dorval Drive) will be temporarily closed for two months starting the week of August 11, 2008. The removal of the exit ramp will permit highway widening and traffic detours to continue into the next stages of construction. The Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) is undertaking highway expansion work to provide High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on the QEW through Oakville between Burloak Drive and Trafalgar Road. Implementing HOV lanes on provincial highways will ease congestion, reduce commute times and promote public transit by getting more people into multi-occupant vehicles. The mainline highway expansion work is expected to be completed by the summer of 2011. Residents with questions or concerns regarding the construction are asked to contact the Ministry of Transportation's Contract Administrator at 905-847-2009. Questions or concerns can also be addressed by the Town of Oakville's Engineering and Construction Department at 905-845-6601 ext. 3302 or 3398. Further information andand construction updates are also available at: also construction updates are available at www.oakville.ca/roadupdates.htm and www.roadinfo.mto.gov.on.ca. Put brakes on St. Thomas Aquinas plan We would like to register our opposition to the new St. Thomas Aquinas High School and suggest that this plan is wrong on so many levels. We are amazed it has seen the light of day. Imagine a school board (who my school taxes support - for now) contemplating the destruction of a public green space, destroying a significant stand of mature trees and adding to the already congested traffic patterns along Lakeshore Road. As residents of Holyrood Avenue, it is necessary most mornings to wait endlessly to try and make a left turn onto Lakeshore and finally , due to the volume of cars, turn right and go around the block -- does anyone out there care about adding unecessary hydrocarbons to out already sub-standard air quality. And where does our town stand on this issue? Certainly not on the side of it's taxpayers. Can you actually justify the loss of these trees let alone the loss of two complete natural fields. Can you justify the noise and light polution until almost midnight this lit field will create? Do we need even more traffic congestion at Lakeshore and Holyrood? Please limit the St. Thomas Aquinas school land to a school. We simply do not need a development plan of this scope along Lakeshore Road in Oakville. DOUGLAS AND COLLEEN ROBINS Carpet Cleaning Specialists Since 1952 On The Spot! RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL WALL TO WALL FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERY AREA RUGS PERSIAN & ORIENTAL Truck Mount In-Plant Service Water Damage Restoration 25% Drop-off Discount! N Dorval Drive Ramp Closure: Westbound QEW Exit Ramp to Kerr St. / North Service Road No rth Q.E.W Se rvi a Ro ce d W es t VOTED BEST CARPET & RUG CLEANERS 7 YEARS IN A ROW! Stree t Sinclair Ro ad FREE 250 ml SPOTTING BOTTLE Kerr www.onthespotcleaning.ca 1446 WALLACE RD., OAKVILLE, ON Bronte 905-825-4256 For more information visit www.oakville.ca or call 905-845-6601 QEW Speers Wallace