www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 9, 2008 - 9 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Southeast Oakville parents feel betrayed by school closures After the shocking outcome of the Wednesday School Board vote to close four schools in Ward 3, many things could be written. How it is a terrible loss of green space, parks for the children, the fact that the resulting development of these properties will bring more families into the ward and the children will need to be placed in portables to accommodate them because there now aren't enough schools for the growing population, not to mention how flawed the process was and how we weren't represented appropriately by our school trustee -- I could go on. However, after reading Four schools to close in southeast Oakville (The Oakville Beaver, July 4), there is only one thing I would like to address at this time. Director Joudrie is quoted at the end of the article saying, "...down the road, people wonder what all the fuss was about..." with regards to how people feel after these decisions are made and the children attend their new schools. Two-thirds of Ward 3 woke up Thursday morning to find the school system they value, and for some, the reason they moved here, completely and somewhat needlessly decimated. Only one of the four schools due to close was severely under-enrolled. To blithely pat us on the head like small children and tell us it will be alright is like putting a band-aid on a severed arm. Of all the things that have happened to Ward 3, that comment was adding insult to injury. Building a school in one part of the ward should not have resulted in the closure of four. To expect two-thirds of the Ward to feel happy at some point in the near future about this is condescending and completely inappropriate. Shame on you for rubbing salt in the wounds of people who have lost so much in one night. We have a right to 'make a fuss'. You have allowed the destruction of our valued school system and we have a right to be upset. Lisa White SALE 40%-60% Off! Spring/Summer fashions, and footwear PARC recommendation was unrealistic Continued from page 6 account and that the size and enrollment of schools matters. The board made it crystal clear that if the PARC recommended status quo, it would in all likelihood be rejected by trustees. When school boards look for public input during this process, they look to the community and committee members to come up with real solutions to the real problems that are facing our schools and our children. They are not looking to the community to beg them to save their schools. And there lies the problem. When members of the PARC expected that this was a prime opportunity to defend their threatened schools, and not address the problems facing the ward as a whole, we of course came to a stalemate. Because of this, the recommendation that followed looked a whole lot like status quo. So, when board staff rejected the unrealistic and unsustainable plan in favour of fewer, slightly larger schools, the community should not have been surprised. However, they were. And again facing school closures, they sprung to action with full page newspaper ads, lawn signs, petitions to turf our trustee, and funds for legal action. Neighbourhoods were pitted against each other, and sadly, parents' battles were too often fought on the playground of our elementary schools. When children become pawns and targets, we can't blame the HDSB for becoming secretive. The more they tried to do what's right, the more vigilant the community became, causing children, residents and board staff to fear for their safety. The board actually had to have police and security present at last week's vote. As a PARC committee member, I knew full well that if we recommended status quo in southeast Oakville, it wouldn't fly with trustees. I am not a planner, an accountant or have a PhD in education; I'm just someone who took an interest in the education in this ward. As such, I trust that the board has the this expertise and came to the decision that is right for the children in southeast Oakville. DENISE O'CONNELL Watch Us Fashions 1131 Nottinghill Gate (Glen Abbey) 905-827-2271 Vision To be the most livable town in Canada NOTICE OF SURPLUS AND SALE OF LANDS Town of Oakville, Regional Municipality of Halton Take notice that: The Council for the Corporation of the Town of Oakville at its meeting of June 16, 2008, declared certain lands surplus for the purpose of sale: Address 1. Hixon Street 2. Salvator Blvd. 3. Westdale Road Part of 4. Birch Hill Lane 5. Argyle Drive 6. Bennington Gate PIN # 247580102 247630178 247750023 247760198 247820197 247830126 Address 7. Claremont Cres. 8. Charnwood Drive 9. Carlton Drive 10. Constance Drive 11. Dunedin Road 12. Burgundy Road PIN # 247840518 Part of 247860110 247900415 247900417 247900424 Part of 248030207 Address 13. Wentworth Street 14. Elmwood Road 15. Rebecca Street 16. Taplow Cres. 17. Odessa Cres 18. Oxford Ave PIN # 248240120 Part of 248250120 248350079 248460088 248720126 248730459 Address 19. Hillview Cres 20. North Service Road East 21. Trafalgar Road 22. Heath/Longridge 23. Old Upper Middle Road PIN # Part of 248840273 Part of 248900306 249140204 249240895 Part of 249241464 This notice is in compliance with the Town's By-law 1995-71. Copies of plans showing the lands to be sold are available for inspection at the office of the Manager, Realty Services at the address shown below, by appointment by calling 905-845-6601 ext. 3022 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Maynard Millman, AACI, P.App., PLE Manager, Realty Services, Legal Department Town of Oakville 1225 Trafalgar Road Oakville, ON L6J 5A6