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A6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday February 28,, 2001 T h e O a k v il l e B e a v e r Ian Oliver Publisher Nei Oliver Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor Kelly Montague, Advertising Director Steve Crazier Circulation Director Ten Casas Office Manager Mark Dills Production Manager Riziero Vertolli Director of Photography Metroland Printing. Pubfishng & Distributing Ltd.. includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser. Alliston Herald/Courier. Arthur Enterprise News. Barrie Advance, Barry's Bay This Week. Bolton Enterprise. Brampton GuanJan, Burlington Post. Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Colllngwood/Wasaga Connection. East "rbrk Mirror. Erin AdvocataCountry Routes. Etobicoke Guardian. Flamborough Post. Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press. Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times. Kingston This Week. Lindsay This Week. Markham Ecnomis! & Sun. Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror. Milton Canadian Champion. Milton Shopping News. Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News. Napanee Guide. Newmarket/Auora Era-Banner, Northumberland News. North Mark Mirror, Oakvffle Bea</er. OakviBe Shopping News. Odtrners Hockey News. Oriia Today. OshawaWhitby/Clanngton Port Perry This Week. Owen Sound Tribune. Palmerston Observer. Peterborough This Week. Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thomhill/Vaughan Liberal. Scarborough Mirror. StouffvillaAJxbridge Tribune. Forever Mxng. City of 'rbrk Gua/tSan OPINION RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Y vm ca ^ '|a %_ t O ntario C om m unity Newspapers Association JiNqlt B eII FuNd vy S B y N O TTS' J/lthcna . iT p -r in u United Way of Oakville ___ JZward O akville @ 4nm & TOffBUSINESS EXCELLENCE 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-2809 Circulation: 845-9742 , \ T» C anadian C om m unity f*C > N A Newspapers a Association _ TV AUCTION O N T E B R O N I E t U T T E R F l Y |oakville galleries | A R I O S K Suburban Newspapers ol A m erica t o w n of MO A KV IL L I 0 * £ d JU W BB i r ht oUt t C h i l d r e n 's C h o i r F C R 'U BUSINESS 6CTHE AKT5 E d ito ria ls Planning for the future The comprehensive deal the Town of Oakville worked out with New Province Homes (Metrus Developments) over the development of 327 acres, formerly known as the Shell lands, should prove as an acid test for critics who believe the planning department is soft The Town has a lot at stake on developers. over this plan. Not only will it | After completing the deal. Monday determine the future ofwest night, many town officials were patting Oakville, it will also show themselves on the back for a job well done. whether town planners are W hile only tim e will determ ine capable of managing future whether this praise is deserved, the town development north ofHwy. 5. appears to have taken a calculated approach to controlling growth in the 1,430-unit subdivision in west Oakville. While some residents would like to see no growth occur, that attitude is not realistic. As the centre of economic activity for Ontario (and even Canada for that matter) the Golden Horseshoe area will continue to face pressures from growth. As part of that area, Oakville cannot just isolate itself behind its bor ders and tell people to go elsewhere. A more sensible approach, is to manage and control growth, so that we continue to enjoy our current high standard of living and prosperity. That said, the Town appears to have done that by placing 129 restrictions on the New Province Homes subdivision ranging from traffic concerns to greenspace preservation. The Town has placed a priority on getting the proper road infrastructure in place before anyone moves into the subdivision. To preserve greenspace, the plan sets aside 25% of the land for public access woodlots and parkland. The Town has a lot at stake over this plan. Not only will it determine the future of west Oakville, it will also show whether town planners are capable of managing future development north of Hwy. 5. Based on what we've seen, we're confident this plan will prove they are up to the task. Letters to the Editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be typed, signed and include the writer's address and phone number. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 Public invited to a tten d Turf Wars Did you know that the City of Toronto has placed a moratorium on green space pesticide use? D id you know th at the C anadian Environm ental Law A ssociation and the Ontario College of Family Physicians have written that "...the potential for health prob lems from pesticides represents an unac- Letter of the Week Name of new public school inappropriate I must say I was very disappointed when I read the announcement in regard to the name chosen by the Trustees for the new school in North Oakville. Post's Comers Public School, say that five times fast. The name Post's Comers was not even on the original short list that consisted of ten per fectly good names. The ballot was extended to include Post's Corners only after Michelle Knoll, wife of the area's Councilor; lobbied to have it included. I am not saying that we shouldn't honour Oakville's past. I am merely suggesting that we look to Oakville's future. North Oakville is being promoted as the "new urbanism". Oak Park is an award winning community design and the Uptown Core shopping area is ever expanding. New residents are continually being lured with a whole community full of different kinds of housing, shopping large and small scale, churches, community centres and schools. We are creating our own history from what was a farmer's field not so long ago. If it weren't for Oak Park residents there wouldn't be a school on the site. For Trustee Mary Chapin to say that it's our "only opportunity to acknowledge the rich and colourful history of this locale", is ridiculous. I think if you want to acknowledge the contribu tion of the Post family to Oakville then go the comer of Trafalgar and Dundas and put up a plaque. Why not call the Uptown Core area, which is closer to the Trafalgar and Dundas site of the Post family businesses, Post's Comers Shopping Centre. And furthermore, to think that the name "could actually ignite the students' interest to research and learn more..." give me a break. Just try asking a Lome Skuce Public School student who their school was named after and you'll receive a blank stare. After speaking with several neighbours I know I'm not the only one who dislikes the new name, which is too bad since we are so excited about having a new school. Wouldn't it have been nice if the residents of the area and those who are actually going to benefit from the school been the ones to vote for the new name. I think the name should reflect the new north Oakville since that's what we are. In the end we're all just part of Oakville's past, pre sent and future. So what's in a name? A lot when it's a public building's name at stake. Bonnie Adams Former college president hum bled by award Ed. note: The following letter from former Sheridan College President Sheldon Levy, was sent to D avid B atchelor and M ary Cardamone, C o-chairs o f the O akville Awards fo r Business Excellence - a copy was also fded with the Oakville Beaver fo r publi cation. I am writing to express my warm est thanks and appreciation for the great honour given to me at the O akville Awards for Business Excellence Gala. It was a privilege to join you, and a plea sure to be able to share some thoughts and stories on a subject about which I feel so strongly. But it came as a complete surprise to be chosen to receive such an outstanding dis tinction, and I am truly humbled and delight ed. I would ask that that you convey to all of my Oakville friends and associates my deep gratitude, and let them know that I will always treasure the symbol of the great things we were able to accomplish together. I am very proud to have served such an outstand ing community with such committed partners and innovative thinkers. O akville has achieved its enviable reputation because of all of you. Best regards, and heartfelt thanks again. Sheldon H. Levy Vice-President Government and Institutional Relations University o f Toronto ceptable risk to humans, and children in particular...The potential for the health of children in Ontario to be affected by pesti cides is undeniable...."? In response to concerns voiced by many residents of Oakville, the CAW Halton-Peel Regional Environment Council, Gardens off Drugs and O akvillegreen C onservation Association are proud to present Turf Wars, an environmental forum on urban pesticides on March 7 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the 707 Galaxy Club, 475 North Service Road. You can find out how pesticides affect our health and our environment and learn what you can do about it. Discover the alter natives to pesticide use and how effective they are. The speakers w ill in clu d e: B ruce Lofquist, an advocate on behalf of chil dren's health, who is currently writing a book entitled, `Children's Health & urban Pesticides: The Hazardousness of Everyday Places & Spaces'. he is executive director of Eco-Praxis Inc., a public interest research and resource centre located in Oakville. -Lori Stahlbrand, a journalist and broad caster who has recently co-authored `Real Food For a Change'. Lori has written and and filed docum entaries and educational videos on health and environmental issues. She is current ly working with W orld Wildlife Fund Canada on pesticide reduc tion issues. -Lorelei Hepburn, an entrepreneur who established and runs Ontario's largest pri vately owned 100% chemical and pesticidefree law n care com pany, ca lle d the Environmental Factor. -Jim Mahon, chairperson of the CAW Local 1520 Environment Committee and appointed CAW environmental representa tive for the Ford o f Canada St. Thomas Assembly Plant. We invite all residents of Oakville to attend this timely forum. We also extend an invitation to our elected representatives, as well as all members of our professional Town staff, to come and learn more about this issue so they are able to make wellinformed decisions on our behalf regarding the use of pesticides in our community. For more information, call 847-i9990. Renee Sandelow sky Oakvillegreen New school should be positive experience In response to Ms. Kelly's letter Feb 21, 2000,1 would first like to state that I am not unsympathetic to her problems. No I haven't been to the school board meetings, but I am aware of the difficulties she is facing. I too tried to help my children with little support from our trustee at the time. I took almost a year of intense obsessive work, and in the end the developer did not want to sell his land to the school at a fair price and our school was chosen. I wrote my letter just to say that there were very pos itive aspects for our neighborhood in getting this new school and that many people were delighted. I said that Ms. Kelly's group were in the minority and that is cor rect. I was concerned that the press was reporting only the negative aspects to having a new school and none of the positive ones. I am aware that with any change there are going to be people unhappy with the outcome, I just said you can't please all the people all the time. There was an information meeting at Munns School about our new school and the room was packed. I asked board staff and trustees after what there impres sion was and they told me they felt that the feedback was 90% positive. About 100 parents signed up to be on the informal school council prior to the school's opening. My children are not moving up to the new school with all their friends. Many will be left behind. They are excited to have the opportunity to go to a modem state-of-the-art facility in their neighborhood. They are excited not to have to be herded onto buses and go to a school that is miles from their home. They are happy to leave a little later and .get home a little earlier. They are excited because their parents have presented this new opportunity in a positive light. I hope that Ms. Kelly's children are happy. I think that the new school can be a positive experience. I know that it will for my children and I hope for all the children who attend it. M arsha Davies Crim e Stoppers glad for support The partnership between the volunteer not-for-profit Board of Directors of Crime Stoppers of Halton and the Oakville Beaver and the citizens of Halton is a very costeffective manner of assisting the local police services board to ensure our community is safe. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Crime Stoppers of Halton, i would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for yotir support during the past year and specifically during Crime Stoppers Month. Crime Stoppers of Halton has been in operation since 1988. During that period of time, approximately 35% of the tipsters have opted to collect their rewards. That has resulted in our paying out just over $35,000 in rewards while the tips have resulted in the return of $989,000. in stolen merchan dise and $1.7 million worth of illicit drugs being collected. The reduced cost in the police service's efficiency is immea surable. Your organization has played an important part in the success of our program. We thank you for your support in the past and trust that you will see fit to continue with that support. R.F. Hilton Chair, Crime Stoppers o f Halton Pud WHlDottUHWEIHE-fiSH B0WL?0HUo,.IHEARPA Flush ., dohT tbj . m e . . i 'm afraid , SPRINKLES' n e e d e d a ,u m , by Steve Nease DECEMT BURIAL.