6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 21, 2006 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. www.oakvillebeaver.com THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: IAN OLIVER Publisher WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Manager TERI CASAS Business Manager MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, Caledon Enterprise, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian Will we follow the leader? Only one thing stands in the way of the Ontario government's Places to Grow plan from being an unqualified success -- us. In preparing for a future that sees four million people moving into the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) over the next 25 years, the Province has determined we can no longer afford to gobble up the region's outlying farmlands and greenfields in the name of suburban sprawl. Its solution is to channel much of this growth into the existing urban boundaries of several communities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, including Oakville. Theoretically, no one would argue against the goals of this ambitious and visionary plan to curb urban sprawl. Everyone agrees that something must be done to protect our farmland, woodlots, and greenfields from being developed and our air polluted by gas-guzzling cars stuck in gridlock. But while everyone agrees something must be done, the reality is that most people don't want it to occur in their own backyard. There lies the biggest challenge facing the Places to Grow Act -- public acceptance. Historically, infill developments that increase the population densities of existing neighbourhoods have always run into stiff opposition from existing residents. In Oakville we need only look at the recent expensive Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) appeals over the Sharkey's and Palm Place condominium proposals. Both of these developments, while meeting the spirit of the intensification goals of the Places to Grow Act, were bitterly opposed by both the Town and surrounding residents because they felt the projects would adversely change their neighbourhoods. Similar developments in the Bronte Quadrangle, Dundas Street and Prince Michael, and Maurice Drive and Lakeshore Road have also garnered neighbourhood opposition. In the wake of the Places to Grow plan, however, municipal councils have been handed the responsibility of winning over the hearts and minds of their residents. It remains to be seen, however, whether councillors will be willing to stand up to this neighbourhood opposition. Most people concerned about our environment agree that the Province has taken a step in the right direction with its Places to Grow plan. The question is whether individual residents will be willing to follow in the Province's footsteps when the plan hits close to home. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Father's Day celebration shattered by thoughtless vandals On a beautiful Father's Day evening, our family and extended family joined together for a dinner and a swim to celebrate the day. At 5 p.m. we heard a "bang" from the backyard and our sliding door which goes out to the deck/pool, was shattered into a million pieces. We had no idea what the bang was from as we didn't see any rocks, or any item that would have made the noise. Later that evening while my children were swimming in the pool, they came running in to tell us that someone was shooting pellets at them in the pool. Our home backs on to greenspace, which also has a walking path through it. The pellets came from a BB gun that was shot into our backyard from the path. We started to put it all together and realized that the "bang" was the BB gun and that is what made the glass on the patio door shatter. I was horrified at the implications of this, as the door can be replaced, my children's eyes, brain or any part of their bodies cannot. It made me wonder why parents are letting their children play with these weapons. The police were called and they informed me that these guns are not allowed to be used in our neighbourhood. I would like to think we live in a safe neighbourhood, but I know my children have to be careful everywhere they go. I did not think they wouldn't be safe in their own backyard. I would like every Oakville resident to realize the implications of their children playing with these guns, and please don't allow them to be used in our community. Summer is here and it is nice to see everyone out enjoying their neighbourhood -- please keep our neighbourhood safe, call the police if you see anyone using the guns. JUDY SEAGROVE Thanks for the help Pud On Saturday afternoon, in all that heat, I had the misfortune of having my car act up on the eastbound QEW. I took the nearest exit and my car came to rest in the turning lane at the corner BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com of Speers Road and Dorval Drive in Oakville. I do not own a cell phone so I was glad to find a phone booth at the gas station on that corner. My traveling companion, a lady in her eighties and I were also very thankful that there was a small tree on the shoulder right next to my car to help protect us from the blazing sun. As we waited an hour for assistance to arrive we were pleased that five motorists stopped to offer their assistance. What is interesting is that every one of them was a young man in their early twenties. We were offered use of their cell phone, mechanical help and one drove away and came back with two ice cold bottles of water. Out of the hundreds of cars that passed us, it was these young people who took the time to stop and speak with us. Thank you Oakville for raising fine, caring and polite young men. L. ROBERTSON