THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday June 28, 2000 T o u r 10 secret gardens Looking for something to do in Oakville over the Canada Day weekend? ' Take in the Secret Gardens of Oakville, the Oakville Horticultural Society's annual tour of 10 gardens, on Sunday July 2nd - rain or shine. "From the smallest, with the largest assortment of dwarf conifers in Oakville, to the ·largest, visitors will discover great gardening ideas, amazing landscapes designs - some of them done professionally, secret gardens, delightful ponds, and a treasure chest of new and old plants, a huge collection of roses, and an amazing miniature ; train set running through one [perennial garden," says garden tour convenor Valerie Norris. "There are shady gardens, sunny gardens, and yes, even a [spectacular view of the lake." ' - As in past years, The Kensington will have reffesh·ments at its rooftop garden, cre ated by its residents, for garden tour participants. Washroom facilities will also be available. The tour, with gardens locat· ed in all parts of Oakville, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I Tickets, $10 each, are avail a b le at: Acorn Card Shop, 221 Lakeshore E.; An English Garden Flower Shoppe, Pilgrim's Way Plaza; Hopedale Hardware, Hopedale Mall; Upper Oakville Card Shop, Upper Oakville Shopping Photo by Peter C. McCusker Susan Spani receives some strawberry shortcake at Oaklands Regional Centre during its 25th anniversary celebrations by Linda Instance, director of programs. Oaklands: 2 5 years o f residential care By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR BURLINGTON funded by the provincial govern ment; the Ontario Reality Corporation owns the building. Oaklands Regional Centre is "A number of people who an experiment which didn't quite came here 25 years ago are still work out as planned. here," he said of the five or six original residents. "And, for Nevertheless, the building at Photo by Ron Kuzyk 53 Bond St., has proven itself to many of the others, Oaklands has Norma and Bill Kirkpatrick relax in their garden, one of 10 be a valuable community been the only home they've ever known." resource. on this Sunday's Secret Gardens of Oakville Tour. Originally intended 25 years When the centre opened in Centre; Cudmore's Garden to wear casual clothing and ago to function as a transition November 1975, Oaklands Center, 3171 Lakeshore Rd. W. comfortable shoes, and leave housed 150 people - about onein Bronte; and F. Bulow Garden dogs, food, strollers, and video house for residents moving from third of them children and onelarge institutions into the com Centers, 370 South Service Rd. cameras at home. Tour badges third adults with developmental W,, and 2667 Lakeshore Rd. W,, can be left at the last garden vis munity, "the experiment has failed because of a lack of gov disabilities, and one-third with Mississauga. ited for recycling. multiple disabilities. Oakville Horticultural Garden tour proceeds will be ernment funding," said its execu However, about half of the Society members will greet vis used to benefit community pro tive director Brian Barrington. residents have left Oaklands over He made the comments at an itors at each garden. jects. For more information, call the years and moved into group informal 25th anniversary Participants are encouraged 849-7649. homes, leaving 74 who remain, said w Barrington. In addition, it has nine crisis support clients who may stay anywhere from three to six months. Oaklands has NV about 150 staff, including Mary Spekking, human resources manag er and responsible for facility sup port services, its only remaining 25-year employ ee. "It's a great place, the staff are great, the parents are great, and the clients are great," she said. When Bar rington arrived at Oaklands about five years ago, after retiring from Ernst & Young, "to work on some projects here," he found the build ing was not being used to its full potential. R E G U L A R P R IC E S Hence, when he became its O rn a m e n ta l S ta n d a rd s executive director · E m e ra ld C e d a r s about a year later, "I opened this · F a t A lb e rt S p ru c e facility up to the · Ja p a n e se Y ew s community," and brought in agency tenants which 4 Pack ............................... would benefit from sharing the facilities. 4" Pot Among them Including Impatiens, Begonias, Geraniums, . ^ 2 9 are the SENACA Proven Winners and many more.................................. I each Seniors Day Program for cog R E G U L A R p r ic e s nitively impaired 6 Pack p R \C E S seniors, Erinoak 199 Choose from New Guinea Impatiens, Begonias, ^ ! T re e s which runs the B o x w o o d (1 g a , lQ n ) g 0 \-A * Geraniums and many more. Regular 8.99..................each RE' Halton Preschool «V\a\s ·Nutka Speech and 99 eS. M \ P e t e 0 e a s ie r Language pro each G o to 0 ' gram and week ield end respite camp for disabled Good selection. 4 pack.................................... clients, a CATC P e re n n ia ls ( r pot) Children's Asses sment and 6 Pack Regular 9.99................ Treatment Centre team; CCAC R t G U V a (B \u e S P tU te Community Care C o lu s a ^ c \e m a l's Access Centre t T re e s Great selection. OFF support team; the fru \ Halton Autism Resource Team; a Prices in effect June 28 - July 9/00 Halton Healthcare/Community Q.fcW Services psychi H o l l a n d P a r k H O L L A N D B U Y IN B U L K ! atric team, and PAM S T A T I O N Thistleoaks #1 F in e G r a d e Childcare Centre Used for top dressing, flower beds, new planting and container gardening. "We also have other groups rent ii If 7 i7 99 7 DAY FLORAL DELIVERY ^ ing our pool and 1 cu. y d ............ ^S 4 99 2 cu. yds.......... § AT BOTH LOCATIONS W gym," he said. The original Earn $20.00 cash bonus 3 cu. yds... l \ / \ / 4 c u . yds..... \ white stucco certificate when you accumulate 2243 Fairview St. 294 York Rd. building was $400.00 in purchases. See N E W ! D r iv e w a y & S o il C o v e r built in 1914 as an protects your driveway and the soil. 6 3 9 -7 7 4 0 fo r the~GREEN in store for comPlete details6 2 8 -8 5 6 2 orphanage. After · W e D eliver 7 Days A W eek S tore H ours: S tore Hours: Visit Us At... World War II, it Mon. to Fri. 8am-9pm · G ro w For The G reen Bonus Applies Mon. to Fri. 9am-9pm served as the hollandpark.com N ote:M inim um 2 cu. yds. to Dundas and West Ham ilton. M inim um 1 cu. yd . to Sat. & Sun. 8am-6pm Sat. & Sun. 9am-6pm Ortona Barracks Burlington, Waterdown and Bronte. Inquire a bout delivery to o utlying areas. for 25 years until the early 1970s. KEBU Strawberry Social, and annual event for residents, staff, fami lies, and clients of other agencies which use Oaklands' facilities. He didn't speak at the event, but commented informally to the Beaver. "Oaklands was built as a resi dential transitional centre to help move people from large institu tions into the community, after they have become acclimatized to community life. "But, a lack of funds has pre vented that dream from coming true," said Barrington of Oaklands' failure to have people moving continuously through from the large regional centres into the community. Oaklands is SAVE ON GARDEN FAVOURITES A n n u als 594 A n n u als A n n u als ·Green Mountain W eeping ..^Press jubilee Crown Topiary , Euonym uT /lowering Shrub/ 6 V e g e ta b le Plants Ivy All P re -P la n te d P atio Tubs 20% g a rd e n ganeiy GROW Triple M ix Soil DUNDAS inn 9 9 173 "