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: 337-5571ClassiOntario CommunityCanadian Communityfied 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 theOakville Beaver is protected by copyright.NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of ProductionUnauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of Distribution JILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorStay afloat,In praise ofchild-friendlystay aliveneighbourhoodsNot wearing your lifejacket could cost you your life.Re: Complaints discourage activeThe Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and children, Oakville Beaver,June 29.SmartBoater.ca remind Canadian boaters about Like Dr. Sarah St. James, we live ona quiet, child-friendly Oakville street.the importance of wearing a lifejacket. Todays Our kids greatly enjoy playing outsidePFDs look and feel nothing like those of even 10 with their neighbour friends mostyears ago.evenings when the weather is nice. ItMaterials used in the construction of todays is really wonderful to see how all of floatation devices are lighter, stronger and more the kids play so nicely together.Regardless of age or what schoolcomfortable to wear.they attend, their primary concern isNew, approved inflatable personal flotation having a great time together out-devices lie flat around your shoulders like a collar.doors. Many times boaters will proudly tell boating This usually entails riding theirsafety officials that they always have their lifejack-bikes or scooters around the court,ets on board their boats, just like the law playing hide and seek or tag, playingstreet hockey or often using theirdemands.imaginations and creating games onThe CSBC applauds this, but reminds boaters their own. that a lifejacket isnt intended to save the life of the None of the kids are really inter-boat. Its meant to save the life of the human being ested in watching television or playingon the boat.video games; they are active, fun, fit,well socialized and, simply put, a reallySo, if you fall in the water without your life-nice group of kids. jacket on your body, that fine sense of pride in In addition, watching the kids playhaving lifejackets on board wont help keep you TheOakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, has allowed the parents who standLetterslength, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain floating.outside and watch them to form thethe name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to In the case of inflatable PFDs, the law requires to thetypes of friendships that make up safeThe Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4,or via e-mail toit be worn while on board.neighbourhoods and communities.editor@oakvillebeaver.com. TheBeaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.editorUnfortunately, the newer familiesNot long ago, the CSBC conducted an experi-moving onto the court are at a dividement. The council selected volunteers, both young Children should respect neighbours' propertywith those who remain after theirand old and asked them to jump into a swimming children have left home. We have alsoRe:Complaints discourage active chil-On a side note, I have three healthy activepool and, once in the water, attempt to get into a experienced complaints from neigh-dren, Oakville Beaver,June 29.children who play sports in parks, or specifi-lifejacket.bours that have ranged from yelling atAs a lifelong resident of Oakville, I have cally designed areas to play these sports andour children to get off the street, yell-All the participants observed afterwards how dif-become almost embarrassed by all the little all three have been bullied every year, so thating at the parents who are out watch-ficult it was to perform that seemingly simple task. things overlooked by the Town. theory you drew is not accurate. ing them and - most concerning -Few of them managed to select lifejackets that When I drive down a residential street and Now in regards to her children trespass-refusing to slow down when drivingsee garbage out when its not the regular pick ing onto neighbours lawns, I think that sayswere the right size when they were in the pool.down the end of the court where theup, when I see camping trailers in driveways, it all. You and your children have no rightIf it was tough for volunteers in a swimming children are playing. or basketball nets on the street, or even cars onto neighbours' lawns, especially if you arepool, imagine how difficult it would be in a real-life Like Dr. St. James, we wonder howparked where they should not be, I think to wearing rollerblades or carrying hockeyanyone could seek to prevent childrensituation in a lake, river or ocean, with individuals myself that the Town needs to enforce the sticks. and families from enjoying theseovercome by panic and fear.rules to keep the street and neighbourhoods If you are too busy to take your kids to aharmless, active and neighbourlyThankfully, the chances are small, but why take neater.park, it is not your neighbours problem. Iactivities?If one person on the street makes the am out every night at a childs sporting activ-that chance when it involves your life? You may not Anyone who is considering addingstreet look bad, and neighbours work hard to ity all summer long. get a second chance.their signature to a petition to preventkeep their property nice and neat, why should How dare you try and use the activechildren from actively enjoying out-For more information on safe and responsible they have to look at or be part of someone children case. Plain and simple, if I wasdoor games on their own street hasboating practices, visit Canadas educational boat-who is too lazy to remove the tent trailers.your neighbor, I would call the Town onclearly forgotten the joy of being a kiding website www.smartboater.ca.No one really cares if a trailer is parked on every issue, and make complaints on everyand the fun, friendships and memoriesthe driveway for a couple of days to prepare step your child took on my property. that are formed from simply playingThe Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suitefor a trip, but something tells me that this is The issue is clearly not having active chil-206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in theoutdoors. Please think twice beforeevent of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item,not the fact. Most park it there for a season, dren, its the lack of supervision and respectacting to prevent these activities.together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of thethat turns into four - that is the issue. They of others and others property.advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorizeJ. Horvat, Oakvilleadvertisements or decline.are eyesores, plain and simple. G. Micheletti, Oakvillewww.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 6, 2011 6