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A6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday October 13, 1999 T h e Oakville Beaver OPINION Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor Kelly Montague, Advertising Director Marlin Doherty Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager M ark Dills Production Manager Riziero Vertolli Director of Photography M eiroland Printing, PubSshing & D istributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, A lston HerafcVCouner, Barrie Advance. Barry's Bay This Week, Bolton Enterprise. Brampton Guarclan, Burlington Post. Bering! on Shopping News, C ity Parent, CoingwoocVWasaga Connection, East York M irror, Erin Advocata'Country Routes. Etobicoke Guardan. Ramborough Post. Georgetown independent/Acton Free Press, Huonia Busness Tmes, K ingston This W eek, Lindsay This W eek, M arkham Ecnom ist & Sun. M icfland/Penetanguishine M irror. M ilton Canadian C ham pion. M ilton Shopping News. M&sssauga Business Tmes. Mssissauga News. Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Acrora Era-Banner. Northumberland News. North York Mirror, O akvie Beaver. Oakvile Shopping News. Ctdtimers Hockey News. OriSa Today. OshawaAMutty/Ctarington Port Perry This Week. Owen Som d Tribune. P eterborough This W eek. P icton C ounty G uide. R ichm ond H ill/ThornhiH /Vkjghan Liberal. Scarborough M irror. StouffviUe/Uxbridge T rtxne , Forever Yoing, C ity o f York Guardan RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Orrt L6K3S4 (905) 8 4 5 -3 8 2 4 Fax: 3 3 7 -5 5 6 7 Classified Advertising: 8 4 5 -2 8 0 9 Circulation: 8 4 5 -9 7 4 2 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: O T ^ M H "J& - ^ Y ™ „ qa g | | | l § i f e a i r TV AUCTION i- i □ n F j united War JinqIe B eII Fup«d of Oakville tofr&> Editorials Community support I t ' s o n e o f t h e g r e a t i l l u s io n s t h a t p r o s p e r i t y i n O n ta r io 's e c o n o m y \ h a s t r i c k l e d d o w n t o a l l m e m b e r s o f s o c ie ty . The residents of Oakville heard the call and they have responded. And the timing couldn't have been better for the Fareshare Foodbank on Speers Road. Their Thanksgiving food drive is one of their major pro­ je c ts of the year that aim s to fill the shelves of the facility. But this year foodbank officials were more than a little concerned. Not only were the shelves perilously empty, but there was also the story of a Brampton foodbank official facing criminal charges. Thankfully that didn't impact on the generosity of Oakvillians for the plight of the less fortunate in the area. And that's one of the issues that's hard to get across to some members of the com- munity-that in this very affluent munici­ pality, there are those who are barely making' ends meet and some who can't feed themselves or their families every month without some help from the foodbank. It's one of the great illusions that prosperity in Ontario's economy has trickled down to all members of society. That hasn't happened and in fact, more people are looking to foodbanks to augment their shopping every month, although numbers have dropped marginally in Oakville. And aside from increased use of foodbanks the more disturbing aspect of this whole issue is just who is using them. Increasingly, it's people who have a job but don't earn enough income to fill their needs. They are the working poor, a segment of the community that seems to be left out of all the province's information about welfare rolls and job creation. Jobs may be created but if they don't pay enough to feed, clothe and house a family, some other apparatus must be in place to deal with that reality. Like foodbanks. Letters to the Editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be typed, signed and include the writer's address and phone number. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, OnL L6K 3S4 RCGA plan would destroy park Money, money, money! Some people have it, lots of it, and feel it entitles them to always get their way. Those who don't have it often find themselves on the defen­ sive against the power of money. In the current dispute over camping or a golf course in the west section of Bronte Creek P rovincial Park, we, the Bronte Creek Preservation Association, are very much a "have not" group with regards to money. Arrayed against us, apparently, are the province and/or the R.C.G.A. with the blessing of MPP Cam Jackson. What is at stake? A fter d isposing of Glen Abbey G olf Course, the R.C.G.A. wants new digs (no pun), and has cast its eye on this part of the park, ready to throw money at it to develop a new championship course. The obvious question is, when Glen Abbey was designed and accepted as ju st that, why get rid of it? To accommodate millionaire golfers, for one week each year, we are expected to turn over to them one of the few remaining quiet spots in Oakville. Do any of them, by the way, live here? I have been contributing my taxes to various governments for 52 years, 40 of them in Oakville. I see arenas being built, rec. cen tres, ball diam onds, docks for boats, golf courses, swimming pools, for those able and willing to use them. I, and many others, would like something back for our recreational enjoym ent, that is, simply walking in pleasant surroundings in the fresh air (others to horseback ride, cycle, or cross-country ski), at no cost to anyone! Hence, our willingness and deter­ mination to keep Bronte Creek Park, free of any development. But, we are told, look at the economic benefits and prestige a new golf course will bring. I don't see Oakville withering on the wine. We are being overw helm ed w ith a spreading cancer of new housing, without the arterial roads capable of handling the traffic. New industry is not passing us by. Will the R.C.G.A. add much to this? Prestige? W ell, M rs. (O ak v ille M ayor Ann) M ulvale we are told that the Canadian Open is going to circulate throughout the country, so your "Home o f ' signs will have to come down. You'd be better to replace them with signs reading "Home of the Ford Motor Co." to remind us of its economic benefits. I urge any of you who ju s t pass by Bronte Creek Park, east side, to come in and walk the trails. You will be in good company. Besides the wild creatures who call this home, the tall grass prairies, the flowers, the beautiful woods and the mur­ mur of the creek, you will meet friendly people who will greet you cheerfully and often stop to chat. On the weekends, espe­ cially, hundreds of people re-charge their batteries here, before another assault on the work week. Most regulars walk year- round in all weather, and are better for it. I doubt if either Mrs. Mulvale or Mr. Jackson have ever set foot in this part of the park. I challenge them to come out some Sunday morning, regardless of the weather, as we do, and see for themselves what we are defending -- forget your eco­ nomic benefits and prestige, come down to reality and see what these proposals will destroy. " What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" Roy B u ch an , Bronte Creek Preservation Assoc. N a tu ra l landscape u n d er p ressure from developers Did you know that about 3,000 hectares (that's approximately 7,500 acres) of mostly agricultural land in North Oakville have been deemed urban by the Region of Halton? This means that the lands south of Highway 407, north of Dundas, east of Bronte Creek and west of Ninth Line, will be devel­ oped as residential, employment (including industrial and commercial) and retail. (No more farms, no more open space). Of the approximately 3,000 hectares of land, about 500 hectares are environmentally sensitive areas, including woodlots, creeks, and valley lands. The Town is attempting to establish a Natural Heritage Framework to preserve these significant natural features. The Town must work together with land owners/developers to get a strong commitment to the implementation and maintenance of this Natural Heritage Framework. Unfortunately, the land owners/developers may not be quite as interested as we, the Oakville residents, in preserving the environ­ mentally sensitive areas, since any land that is Kudos for OTMH Recently, I had occasion to spend time in our Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital's intensive care unit where my husband was seriously ill. May I take the opportunity to say how hard-working and concerned the nurses and doctors are in this unit. Everything medically possible was done for the patient. We cannot give enough compliments to our fine medical staff in our very special Oakville- Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Sue M acLeod set aside for preservation means less land for development. It appears that there is a tremen­ dous amount of pressure coming from the developers to decrease the amount of lands set aside for environmental conservation, so it is vital for your councillors and the Mayor to know that you support their efforts in estab­ lishing a Natural Heritage Framework in order to preserve the environmentally sensitive areas. There will be a public information meeting at the Town Hall on Oct. 14th, at 7:30 p.m. to provide opportunity for public participation in this issue. Please come to the meeting and share your thoughts and concerns about Oakville's future. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 847-9990 or 827-0187. R enee Sandelow sky and Linda Joakim Pud by Steve Nease Letter of the Week Critical need for long-term beds Re: Community Support Needed fo r Long-Term Care As one of the concerned family members who has a parent in the O akville-Trafalgar M emorial Hospital/Extendicare unit, I am writing to you, the residents of Oakville, Ann Mulvale and Gary Carr, requesting your support in the current bid for Long- Term Care beds. On Oct. 25th, there will be a public meeting for comments on the proposed submissions for Long- Term Care beds. The meeting will be held at the Burlington Public Library (Centennial Hall), 2331 New Street, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Persons may either attend or send their w ritten com m ents by Nov. 1st to: M inistry o f H ealth and Long-Term Care, RPP Coordinator, Central West Region, 119 King Street West, 11th Floor, Hamilton, ON L8P 4Y 7; fax 9 0 5 -5 4 6 -8 2 5 5 ; Re: H a lton 99 -007 Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital/Extendicare Bid. If you would like more information regarding the proposals, call 416-327-7755; they will send you a package. By supporting this effort, you can help make a difference. Please plan to attend the meeting or send your comments to the above address. I hope that M ayor (Ann) M ulvale and (Oakville) MPP Gary Carr will attend this meeting and support this local bid. It is VERY important that our local politicians actively support our community. For the past two years, OTMH/Extendicare has operated a 34-bed nursing home on the fifth floor of the hospital, which has proven to be a great achieve­ ment! The families and m yself can attest to their and our success. With the love and support that the families and staff have given the residents, it has helped create a "home environment" for them. The old Oakville Trafalgar High School is the PERFECT location for a Long-Term Care bed facili­ ty: • The hospital already owns the land. • The site is already zoned for building a Long- Term Care facility. « Staffing and services can be shared (food ser­ vices, housekeeping, maintenance, etc.). • Close to hospital services (Emergency Room, etc.). • Families are able to visit on a daily basis. • MOST of all, it's in Oakville, THEIR communi­ ty, THEIR home town, where they've lived most of their lives. There is a "critical" shortage of Long-Term Care facilities in O akville, and with the existing and growing population, we need these beds NOW!!! Today, it's the families and residents of the fifth floor unit, as well as the many families on the third floor (3 East) that are still awaiting placement, that need YOUR support. Life is full of surprises; tomor­ row it could be you and your loved one in this situa­ tion. Once again, I would ask that you show your sup­ port by expressing your opinion on the subject either by attending the m eeting on Oct. 25th or through your comments to the Ministry. M a rg a re t S ilv e ira t OPINION Editorials Community support Letters to the Editor RCGA plan would destroy park Kudos for OTMH Letter of the Week Critical need for long-term beds