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ADVERTISING 905-640â€"261 2 Classified: 1-800-743-3353 Fax: 905-640-8778 gaff-Tribune York Region Media Group community newspapers lhe Sun-Tribune, published every Thursday and Saturday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. Metroland is comprised of 100 community publications across Ontario. The York Region Newspaper Group also includes The Liberal, sewing Richmond Hill and Thomhill, Vaughan Citizen,The Era-Banner (Newmarket/Aurora), Markham Economist The Sun-Tribune welcomes your ler- ters. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number, name and address The Sun-Tribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clar~ ity and space. Letters to the Editor. The Sun-Tribune 6290 Main St. SW, ON “A IGT' Sun, Georgina Advocate,York Region Business Times, Nomi of the City. yorkregionmm and York Region Printing. Elem Classified Manager Bonnie Rondeau Carrie MacFarlane cmacfarlaneGyrmg.oom Anvmnsmc Retail Manager Mike Banuille mban uille@yrmg.com bmndeau@yrmg.com Fax DawnaAndrews dandrews®yrmgmm jmason.yrmg.com cnormanGyrmgcom Carolyn Norman DISTRIBUTION Circulation EDITORIAL Editor lim Mason jmason®yrmg.com lETTERS POLICY DISTRIBUTION 905-640-2612 Pnonucnon 905-640-2612 Lx: 905-640-8778 EDITORIAL Tragic incidents in cottage coun- try are a reminder of how important it is to takeal! necessary safety pre- cautions when spending time in and around water. On Sunday, three men died while cliff jumping at the Moon River waterfall near Bala. The volume of water in the falls was much higher than usual and the current pulled them under. Yesterday, another person died and a second was declared dead but later revived following an attempt to save a 9-year-old below the Bala Falls. Unfortunately, although many public agencies frequently warn the public of the potential dangers of cottage life, it often takes incidents such as these to really get people's attention. ' Last Friday, John Paul Farrell, 46. died after his boat hit a wave on Loon Lake, knocking off everyone on board. The popular Stouffville man died a hero. The boat was pulling'his daugh- ter, Abby, 15, a high school student and one of her friends in tubes, while two of Abby’s other friends were on board. All of the girls survived. Mr. Farrell was not wearing a life jacket and while it’s unclear if such a device would have helped in his case, it likely wouldn’t have hurt. Whatever the exact cause of the accident, it's clear Mr. Farrell died bravely, trying to ensure the boat, which was still running after everyâ€" one was ejected, did not injure the girls. He was recalled as a good person. A hero with solid values. His funeral is being held today. Hundreds of people across York Region are remembering the trades- man, hockey referee, slo-pitch play- er and, most importantly, father and husband. There have been too many trag- ic deaths involving Whitchurch- Stouffville families this summer. And we are not alone; . The three men who died in Moon River, Vladimir Tsimfer, 31, Vladimir Sirghii, 22, and Peter Ludian, 21, were not the first to jump from the cliffs at the falls. However frequent rain the past month may have made the condi- tions poor for swimming near the falls. Hopefully, these sad incidents in Ontario cottage country will remind people of the importance of water safety. Cottage life has its dangers Editorial 7 'Vllal UV ’VU llll‘ Re: Billionaire owners mum on air. port, 1u1y25. others? E-mail lette Kudos to Keely Grasser on a wellâ€"wn't- jmason@ynng.com ten article on the Markham Airport. Just a few thoughts on the article if I Landfill unsettles residents near Stouffville-area airport I live approximately one‘ kilome- tne to the east of the airport, just south of Stoufiville, and have since it opened about 1962. The airport and obvious air trafiic have been no problem during the In fact, 1 received my pilot’s licence thereandwasaflightinstructorinthe eafly 1970s past47years Three years ago, the airport property became a landfill site. That is where my problem lies Allan Rubin says he is setting up for a possible runway expansion. nvutvl lllb ulv lwlu nu ltu \Jll Sir, have you not heard of the Pickering in fact, a reality in the nemfi airport project thait already owns part of your former property? HERB Stop dreaming. » Whogavehimtherighttodoashe pleases at the expense ofhis neighbours? We can all do our part H he h f . mefifidsiygpedofms pmpenyfemns or for the envuronment I would like to see just one such report. I have analytical reports from the federal government on the water from my well that, for the past three years, has been deemed undrinkable. Forthmeyears, I have been subjected to dust and noise to the point my back deckhasbeenavirtualdustbowl. 'Ihose reports are available for publi- cation anytime. Any calls to Mr. Rubin’s office have been ignoxed That would be in direct contradiction to his statement he is sensi- fivetohhneighboura Duringthéonecallldidgetmmugh t0 hm}wasswmnatandhungupon. Letters to the Editor H zmmo > Imrzfl 28> 3m: zmmom > EQQE 'Siifi‘f-‘Ii'ibune PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot Mr. Rubin states it’s human nature to be upset because of all the “crashes and accidents and things like that". As for his statement about farming 30 per cent of the land, get serious. I've never seen an airplane pulling a plough. As for the Town of Markham, you just dropped the ball. No one is upset because of the air- port, just the landfill operation. You had the landfill stopped for a while a year ago and then let it start up again. What happened? Let's hope Bill Wiles' comment about restoring the land to its original state is, in fact, a reality in the near future. HERB HOOVER MA RK HAM I would like to remind everyone about our planet and how we are affecting it. Everyone can make a difference, when it comes to the environment. Please do not litter and try to rew- cle. Pick up after your dogs. Help keep our lakes, ponds and parks clean. 1 may be 12 years old, but 1 know what we are doing to our planet. A suggestion? Let’s have another green-up, clean-up day in the fall. o MICHELLE USLING STOI lFFVIHJf b What do you think of these issues or others? E-mail letters to the editor to 6290 Main St. Stouflville, 0N. MA 167 wwwwmgmoom HAVE YOUR SAY Emma IN Cum Debora Kelly Busmuss MANAGER Robert Lazurko It’s been a summer to forget in Whitchurch-Stouffville. And it has nothing to do with sad weather. It’s also been one to remember. Remembering friends and neigh- bours, if not relatives, who died unexpectedly in July. LP. Farrell is the latest. The 46- year-old father of two died near the family cottage Friday. He was thrown from the boat he was driv- ing. TWO passengers and the two people the boat was pulling on tubes survived. Too many funerals for folks far too young. Mr. Farrell died trying to save the others. His funeral is today. A 16-year-old from Toronto died July 19 when an ATV rear- ended his mini bike near Bloom- ington Road and Ninth Line. He wasn't wearing a helmet. The sur- vivor was charged with impaired driving causing death and dan- gerous driving. Two days earlier. hundreds attended the funeral of 19-year- old Matthew Benincasa who died when his truck left the Tenth Line and struck a utility pole near his family’s Bethesda Road home. He was not wearing a seat-belt. As Matthew was mourned. friends admitted to not always buckling up. Others spoke of that new danger zone. texting while driving. We can make complete stops. cross at the traffic lights, obey the speed limit and wear the legisâ€" lated safety gear. We don't need to repeat luly of 2009, Stouffville. Iim Mason is editor of The Sun- flibune. We can all be more careful. The kids riding bikes at full speed down the sidewalk downtown can. Same for the sometimes speedy electric scooters. And the folks who think they're in the X Games as they blast through our trail system. Remembering luly 0f2009 for wrong reasons with Iim Mason Off The Top Duuscron, ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION Nicole Fletcher Duuscmn, OPERATIONS Barry Black