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10 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE * Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Rzgarding my letter of Feb. 13, nd _ the corresponding response from Roger Lawler, direcâ€" tor of education for the Waterloo Region Catholic School Board, it appears I have hit a nerve. Lawler accuses me of turning the student transportation issue into one that "pits Catholic schaol boards against their public school friends." Apparently I need to remind him, yet again, that former board chair Louise Ervin and her counterparts across Ontario did that quite loudly â€" without any help from me â€" back in 2004 when a new funding model was proâ€" posed. Further, for Lawler to point to the elimination of noonâ€"hour busâ€" ing as a "testament to the efficienâ€" cies (the board) has found" within their system is a complete joke because that decision was made by both school boards and prompted by a move away from noon busing from bus companies. I happen to know this because I sat on both the public board and joint board comâ€" mittees that looked at implementaâ€" tion of allâ€"day kindergarten. At least Lawler is honest enough to admit that the implementation of allâ€"day kindergarten is about saving money and not about improving learning for our youngest students. PIIdITY, LaWIC! SUBBESLS M MMS Feb. 20 letter that, rather than gritiâ€" Homeowners are cize his board for its transportation getfing raw deal polices, 1 "might instead work with s aas the public board to find creative Regardmg the b,a" 0n p,esuades. ways to reduce walking distances I realize that yes we frive to try for public school students." to cut back on pesticides, but to Setting the record straight on busing Finally, Lawler suggests in his )(\heaper than rent to live in this 3 bedâ€" room, 2 bath with cheater en suite and finâ€" ished rec room. Lovely yard for BBQ season. MLS. od{wer@sympafian Visit: worw. 100 1kwhomes.com Great Ottawa/Westmount location. Re/Max Twin City Realty inc., Brokerage 519â€"885â€"0200 As an educator, Lawler ought to do his homework before attacking parents. If he had done so in this case, he would know that I was in fact the author of the 1,000 petition submitted to former education minister Elizabeth Witmer in 2002, which was publicly and unaniâ€" mously endorsed by Waterioo Region District School Board trustees (one of whom accompaâ€" nied coâ€"author Kim Forster and me to present the petition to Witmer in November 2002). He would also know that, in December 2004, the public board struck an ad hoe transportation review committee to examine its policies (partly in anticipation of a new funding model). And, he would know that I was the parent who approached the board to request that that committee be struck, and that I sat on the comâ€" mittee as a representative of the Waterloo Region Assembly of Pubâ€" lic School Councils. On a few occasions, I even sat beside the manager of transportaâ€" tion for the Catholic board, whose participation seemed like a good idea, given that the stillâ€"elusive new funding model had been predicatâ€" ed on coâ€"operation among local boards. Large pie lot. One owner â€" open concept home with hardwood and ceramic main floor. Huge master with en suite. Three bedroom, 3 bath with large rec room feaâ€" ‘turing__l!we_ly fireplace, MLS. â€" Visit: www 100 1kwhomes.com odwyer@sympatico.ca NYX Great Eastbridge Court Location A% Ra/Max Twin City Realty Inc., Brokerage $19â€"885â€"0200 Tracy Morency Waterloo have a total ban I think is going to far. One just has to walk down our sidewalks and look at our city boulevards that are on city property to see what happens when you do not use some weed control. They are a real disgrace, some are so bad we have no grass left â€" the weeds have completely taken over. Now you say pesticides are bad for the environment, but try and tell someone who suffers from hay fever or allergies that weeds are some much better. How can the city expect the homeowners to keep their lawns weed free when the city property across from you is left for the weeds to grow wild. As a homeowner, I think the city has to take better care of its properâ€" ty and boulevards, if we want to work towards a weedâ€"free environâ€" ment. The homeowner cannot do it alone. This is a critical time for the surâ€" vival of life on our planet where our limited resources to combat climate instabilities must be spent as wisely as possible. In transportation, we must find solutions that are less expensive â€" regarding money and energy â€" to build and operate while benefiting us and the planet to the max. E&éafie’inh's + bedrooms across from orthlake Woods School. Bright kitchen 487 Northlake Dr. Waterloo. Double car with walkâ€"out to deck complete with gas line and BBQ. Beautiful large family room. An alternate rapid transit solution After much research and disâ€" OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 2 â€" 4 P.M. Coldwell Banker Peter Banninger $19â€"742â€"5800 ext: 2123 Ken Schade Waterloo cussion, I prefer an approach to both transit and freight that I heard about at the World Future Society conference this past sumâ€" mer in Minneapolis. It‘s called Highâ€"Capacity Personal Rapid Transit (HCâ€"PRT) and was develâ€" oped by a former NASA scientist/engineer. For informaâ€" tion, go to www.taxi2000.com. Groups of people in Edmonton and Minnesota agree with me about HCâ€"PRT‘s great potential and have set up websites to inform the world. HCâ€"PRT has the potential to cover and stimulate high density in most of the areas of the EA study, including Cambridge. And all this for likely a comparable capital cost to that of light rail‘s Kâ€"W only $300 million â€" with very much lower energy operating costs. Further, as is suggested in the included Edmonton website, HCâ€" PRT would be much more successâ€" ful in attracting people from their cars. RmER‘ lnabdi on o hss 7.A The main stumbling block to Letters to the editor must considering HCâ€"PRT is the criteria contain the writer‘s full name, of wanting another city to be the signature, address and teleâ€" first user. But doesn‘t being an phone number. Addresses and innovative leader mean being first? _ telephone numbers are used Certainly this potentially great leap _ anly for verification purposes forward in sustainable world transâ€" _ and will not be published. portation also merits a more vigorâ€" _ Names will not be withheld. We ous community debate. reserve the right to edit, conâ€" Also, RIM could have an opporâ€" tunity to diversify into HCâ€"PRT world transportation. As HCâ€"PRT expands into intraâ€"city and interâ€" city networks, it becomes similar in operation to the Internet. Like the BlackBerry and its software, RIM could manufacture the small miniâ€"monorail vehicles and supply the control software, with the Uniâ€" 31 Keller Cres., Kitchener. Want to be Wowed!?! 3;u’et crescent. . Spacious 4 bedâ€" room, 4 bath, oak eatâ€"in kiugzg, separate dining room, formal living room/gas fireâ€" place, finished rec room. Fenced mgn:l. deck,hot tub...++ Stupendous decor! terrykaye@remax.net OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 2 â€" 4:30 P.M. Re/Max Twin City Reaity inc., Brokerage 519â€"579â€"4110 Dir.519â€"885â€"1118 Terry Kaye Sun drenched Eastbridge home with soarâ€" ing 2 storey foyer, huge 2nd floor family room, 3 + 2 bedrooms, 4 baths, fresh neuâ€" tral decor, walkâ€"out to deck and fenced Is waiting for a family who loves a large fenoefdard, community pool in the sumâ€" mer a big rec room to play and enterâ€" tain. Spacious, main floor den, 2 staircases and more! MLS 0744435. vard. MLS versity of Waterloo assisting in furâ€" ther research and development. To technically "prove" the sysâ€" tem, while better interconnecting UW, Wilfrid Laurier University and uptown Waterloo institutes, a smallâ€"scale HCâ€"PRT could be installed. The risk would be miniâ€" mal as similar interconnecting miniâ€"monorails are in place conâ€" necting some U.S. universities and their downtowns. The Golden Triangle region is noted for great commitment to the environment and innovation. If the potential costâ€"effectrveness of HCâ€"PRT can be satisfactorily proven, then HCâ€"PRT could signifiâ€" cantly enhance our region‘s world potential to model innovative and sustainable knowledge applicaâ€" tion. telephone numbers are used anly for verification purposes and will not be published. Names will not be withheld. We reserve the right to edit, conâ€" dense or reject any letter for brevity or legal purposes. Letters may be submitted by fax to 519â€"886â€"9383 or by email to editorial@waterloochroniâ€" cle.ca or by mail or delivered to Waterloo Chronicle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8. This Upper Beechwood Beauty 470 Acadia Ct., Waterioo Coldwell Banker Poter Banninger Ron Koebel Sales Representative Lohnter Real Estate and Appraisals Ltd., Brokerage 519â€"743â€"0000 $19â€"742â€"5800 axt: 2287 Robert Milligan New Dundee