The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

OPINION & LETTERSTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:The Oakville BeaverTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Canadian Circulation467 Speers Rd.,Audit Board Member Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 Recognized for Excellence by(905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571COntario CommunityCanadian Communitylassified Advertising: 632-4440 Newspapers AssociationNewspapers AssociationCirculation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays,ATHENASuburban NewspapersAward5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekendsof AmericaEditorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright.NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of Production Unauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of DistributionJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorRespect cyclistsAppalling With summer fast approaching, many residents are switching to bicycles to get from point A to point B.behaviourYes, the season of the cyclist is upon us and with it I was pretty appalled when I read comes the need for cyclists and motorists to both demon-about the meetings over the devel-strate a respect for the rules of the road and each opments of the DND lands. Appalled other.because first there were protests Too often in recent years, these two users of our road-when the possibility of building ways have crossed paths with serious, sometimes fatal, affordable housing was brought up, consequences.and appalled more so when loud, ?thunderous applause met the Last week, two cyclists were struck by an 87-year-old announcement that there would be motorist as they travelled west on Upper Middle Road no affordable housing built on these across the bridge over Sixteen Mile Creek in Oakville. Both lands.cyclists required hospital care one for serious injuries. What exactly are the fears these While the driver initially fled the scene, he returned and is residents have of affordable housing co-operating with the police investigation.in their neighbourhood? Are they ??afraid to share their precious space Late last April, a Burlington mother of two, Meredith with someone who may not have as Hagan, 36, was killed after losing control of her bike and much as them. Is poverty conta-sliding into the path of a car along King Road.gious? Are you afraid some germ of ??poverty will rub off on you or your In June of 2006 off-duty OPP Sgt. Greg Stobbart was children? Are you besieged by ste-struck and killed by a truck as he rode on Tremaine Road reotypes of affordable housing com-in rural Milton. The truck driver involved had his drivers plexes based on TV shows or certain licence suspended on five separate occasions and had music videos?thousands of dollars in unpaid traffic fines.So, let me guess, you are okay ??with lower income families looking What all these examples illustrate is that when after your children in day cares; motorists and cyclists collide, it is the cyclist who almost serving your coffee at Tim Hortons always loses while the motorist may face legal conse-or stacking your clothes at a retail quences.The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, outlet, but you are not okay with Although motorists may find the slower moving cyclist Letterslength, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must containthese same people living in your frustrating and distracting, the reality is that bicycles are the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed toto theneighbourhood.The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4,or via e-mail tovehicles under the Highway Traffic Act and therefore have You're okay with the disabled editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.the same privileges of using the road and are subject to the editorliving on Ontario Disability Support same traffic laws that govern cars, trucks and motorcy-Program (ODSP) having affordable cles.Blame Tories for mid-Pen highway schemehousing, but you're not okay with With gasoline prices reaching an all-time high and Re: Strong stance needed to block high-Our government believes investing in said housing being built in your roads seemingly more clogged than ever with traffic, the way, Oakville Beaver, June 1transit is a priority. Thats why, since 2003, area.number of cyclists using our roads isnt likely to decrease The Liberal government does not support weve made the largest investments in a gen-The late comedian George Carlin anytime soon.building a mega-highway through the Niagara eration including $10.8 billion in public once said, "People do not want any-That means we have to all work together to understand Escarpment.transit and $4.7 billion in GO Transit. Tim thing near them, especially if it our rights and responsibilities whenever we take to the We know modern transportation planning Hudak recklessly made no commitment to might help somebody else." city streets or rural roads.needs to have an integrated approach includ-public transit in his recent list of promises.You'll certainly donate to causes Under our provinces laws, cyclists and motorists must ing transit, rail and roads. The Mid-Pen high-In the Region of Halton and the City of helping low income families. You'll be permitted to share the road. Sometimes we can forget way concept was brought forward by the pre-Hamilton weve committed more than $232.7 even take part in fundraising activi-that both groups are afforded that same entitlement.vious Harris Conservative government. And million for public transit and weve invested ties. You'll even donate clothing or As the summer heats up, keep your cool and try to Tim Hudak has recklessly committed to build-more than $133 million to build HOV lanes goods to help the poor. Yet, you think of the safety of everyone on the road.ing the Mid-Pen whether we need it or not.on the QEW.don't want these same people living A poor decision you make while driving may leave a Our Niagara-to-GTA Corridor study is Our government will keep building on our in your neighbourhood.family without a loved one and you sitting in the back of a looking at all forms of transportation to sup-record investments in roads and transit infra-You'll read about the long wait-police cruiser.port the economy and movement of goods structure in the Halton, Hamilton and Niagara ing lists for affordable housing, and The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite and people across the Halton and Niagara regions and we will continue to consult and think how sad that is, but when 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the Regions. We dont believe that building a listen to the public as we move forward. event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together there comes a proposal to built with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement mega highway through sensitive lands is the Kathleen Wynne,will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or See NIMBY 7decline.answer.Minister of Transportationwww.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 8, 2011 6