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

rCommittee is cool to cutting pesticide use By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Pesticides may pose a threat to more than just wecds when they are sprayed on public parks and playing fields, Milton's community services committee heard recently. Children may be endangered by the chemicals found in the weed killing sprays, said Milton resident andi mother of four Carol Gustafson. Ms Gustafson appeared betère commit- tee arsned with both a 26-signature petition and a photograph of her four sons. 'Il wasn't sure if 1 was going to bring this out or not but they are the reason I'sn here," she told the committee. Ms Gustafson made the trip to beg Town staff to stop spraying local soccer fields, at least until the sports season has wound down. But Town staff reported that they bave aloeady reduced pesticide use substantially. Last year, less than 15 acres of Town land weoe sprayed. That's down from 193 acres in 1990. So far this year, the pesticide Killex was sprayed by a licensed contractor on about 160 square feet of land at the Leisure Centre and the perimeter of the Lions Sports Park soccer fields. Committee received both M s Gustafsoni's presentation and a staff report on the issue for information only. Children are put at risk by pesticides, aid Ms Gustafson. And the danger sts longer than the two or three days when signa are up wamning people of the spray, she added. "They're using much less in the way of cheniicals than they dld 15 or 20 years ago."1 BARIRY LEE According to the American Cancer Society, pesticides have been linked with eye, skin, respiratory and throat irritation, as well as muscle spasms. In the long term, pesticides may be linked to the development of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma and childhood leukemia, the Society suspects. There bas been some controversy about pesticide use in Canada as well, said Ms Gustafson. "Environment Canada calîs pesticides a poison," she said. "Environment Canada says they can last for a number of weeks on the ground and chi ldren are at a greater risk to chemical exposure than the rest of us. Pesticides are used to eliminate weeds and provide a cushioned turf for sports players. But bad turf is better for kids than the dangers of pesticides, said Ms Gustafson. "In soccer there is lots of falling. I'd much rather have one of my kids break a bone than get cancer," she said. e ee RISK on page 7 The Canadian Champion, Friday June 25, 1999 -3 Park music Savouring the sound of music will be easy Stinday afterrss)n a( Victoria Park by lown Hall. About 70 students from the Ontario Academy of Music on Main Street will arrive at the park gazebo to strut their' musical stuff. Students from age five to 17 will per- formn at the academy's third annual out- door sbow, startîng at 1:30 p.m. Everything from live rock bands to piano, drum and guitar solos will be on the musical menu at the event. Residents are invited to bring lawn chairs and a picnic lunch to, the show, which will likely run between 60-90 minutes. $1 .73/kg PU1ED DATES 79mb/l $1.08/kg ICINO SUGAR 49' /1h PININUTS $ 7.09/b $3.93/kg $6.58/kg $6.58/kg Bliue Berry Nolise. Row PIE FILLINO ROSE BUDS ALMONDS $1 .79/b ý2*99,b ý2*99/b Boneless*Skinless FOR THE B.B.Q. New York Striploin CHUCKEN BMAST Hamburgers, STEAKS $ 12.99 Steaks, Fish, 3 x 6 ack ~k799 3 l ba Ho Dosq x oz.pack $9099 Frozen Fries, BLUIenRII ags Steck House Style $2.9 9 BBO 7 iOOg6ag SauceR.4bbo Plus many more "Surprine" Ifn Store Speclals