2- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 16, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Park plan ahead of the curve Fire brings tragedy By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF for elderly couple Continued from page 1 The Town of Oakville officially broke ground on the $63.1 million North Park construction project yesterday. It begins a process that, when complete, will see the Town in possession of a new Quad Pad arena and sports park. The arena, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010, will feature a 1,500seat, Olympic-sized ice surface and three NHL-sized ice pads. The sports park, also expected to be in place by the fall of 2010, will include four soccer fields, a cricket pitch, leash-free dog zone, BMX/skateboard facility, splash pad, playground and other park amenities. The Quad Pad arena and sports park are phase one of a three-phase project being initiated for the 79-hectare area, located on the west side of Neyagawa Boulevard, north of Dundas Street. Phase two, scheduled to begin in 2015, will see a community centre and library facility added to the area. Phase three, scheduled to begin in 2018, will focus on the development of the area's north parcel of land, which will be used primarily for outdoor sports fields and passive areas. "The facilities that you will see here in the not-too-distant future are very much needed by the community," said Nina de Vaal, director of recreation and culture for the Town of Oakville. "Not only are they needed, but they DAVID LEA / OAKVILLE BEAVER PARK PLAN: From left, Town councillors Ralph Robinson, Alan Johnston, Mary Chapin, Marc Grant, Mayor Rob Burton, Councillor Jeff Knoll and Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh attend the North Park ground-breaking ceremony at the park site on Neyagawa Boulevard north of Dundas Street. will take us a very long way in helping us to achieve the recreation and culture department's goals and objectives and the Town's Make Your Move program's objectives of encouraging and supporting Oakville residents to lead an active and healthy lifestyle." Oakville Mayor Rob Burton was equally happy to see this long-term project finally come to life. "It's thrilling and exciting to stand here and see this major accomplishment get going," he said. "This fulfills a major part of this council's vision to catch up on community facilities and indeed, even to position ourselves ahead of the curve in terms of the growth coming to this area of north Oakville." Ninety per cent of the $63.1 million needed for phase one of this project will be provided through development charges while most of the remaining 10 per cent was offset by major north Oakville landowners who agreed to contribute $5 million towards the development and construction of the sports park. Midnight Madness FRIDAY, JULY 18 th Store Open 12 Noon - 12 Midnight Visit us for In-Store SPECIALS! 217 Lakeshore Road East Downtown Oakville Since 1953 www.swissinteriors.com 905.844.3530 We have known him very well for a long time, so I wanted to do what I could. I called him three times, but there was no answer." Cameron said he did not notice any fire damage in the kitchen, but the bedroom was engulfed in flames. "I had to get out because there were flames and I was choking, so I went out the back door," he said. "I couldn't see. I was feeling awful that I couldn't find him." When Cameron returned to the front of the house, he realized that the elderly woman had gone back inside. He re-entered, quickly located her and the two ran outside to safety. "She was standing up in the house looking for me and him, so I had to go back in there to get her," he said. "She wasn't too far in, I called her and told her we had to go." Greta, meanwhile, placed a 9-1-1 call at 5:13 a.m. and within minutes, the first fire trucks started to arrive. Firefighters were notified by Greta that the male resident might still be in the house, according to Michael Harrison, public education/special projects officer with Oakville Fire Department. When firefighters arrived on scene at 5:17 a.m., they found the two-storey brick townhouse on fire with smoke coming out of several windows on the main floor. They quickly found the man in the basement and carried him out. "We don't know how he got there, but because of the smoke, he knew to lie on the floor," said Cameron. The fire department reported that the victim was transported by ambulance to Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in serious condition. Several neighbours said that initially the man was conscious and talking when removed from the house. "I saw him talking, but I wasn't too close," Cameron said. The fire was quickly brought under control and was extinguished by 5:29 a.m. Despite the heroic rescue and fast emergency response time, the elderly man passed away in hospital. Greta and Cameron said they have lived beside the elderly couple for close to seven years. They describe the victim as someone who enjoyed spending time on his yard and playing tennis. They said the couple has two daughters and a son. "He was very nice," Cameron said. Cameron did not suffer any injuries as a result of his rescue attempts. He said he met the elderly woman at the hospital, who informed him her husband had passed away. "I went to check my lungs and I was okay," he said. "They checked her out -- she's 85 -- and her lungs were okay and she is doing fine." A resident, who lives across the street in Unit 48, said this is the first time a fire has broken out in the complex. "We've been here nine years and nothing like this has happened," said the neighbour, who did not wish to be identified. "They are a nice couple." Damage is estimated to be about $50,000, according to Harrison. The fire was contained to the one unit. The Murchie residence next door suffered minor smoke damage. Oakville Fire Department and Halton Regional Police Services were still at the scene on Tuesday afternoon. The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal is conducting a fire investigation. A smoke alarm was in the house, but was not in the vicinity of the blaze, Harrison said. "One smoke alarm did operate, but we don't know where it was at that time," he said. "It doesn't look like it was in the area where the fire started." The Oakville Fire Department reminds residents to ensure that smoke alarms are located throughout the home, correctly installed and working at all times. They also recommend residents have a fire safety escape plan for their home. "It is so very important that the smoke alarms do work all of the time," Harrison said. "There should be one on every level at least and they should all be working. People need to be diligent in testing them." The fire department also stressed the importance of residential sprinkler systems. "If residential sprinklers were installed in this building, this may have had a totally different outcome," he said. Harrison also emphasized that people should never enter a burning building. "That is the fire department's job," he said.