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‘LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must contain the writer‘s full name, signature, address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers are used only for verification purposes and will not be published. Names will not be withâ€" held. We reserve the right to edit, conâ€" dense or reject any contribution for brevity or legal purposes. Letters may be submitted by fax to 519â€"886â€"9383 or by email to editorial@waterâ€" loochronicle.ca or by mail or delivâ€" ered to Waterloo Chromicle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 COPYRIGHT The contents of this newspaper are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal nonâ€"commerâ€" cial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is proâ€" hibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyâ€" right. For further information conâ€" tact Bob Vrbanac, Editor, Waterloo Chronicle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8. The Waterloo Chronicle is a member of The Ontario Press Council, which considers complaints against memâ€" ber newspapers. Any complaint About news, opinions advertising or €onduct should first be taken to the newspaper. Unresolved complaints can be brought to: Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1706, Toronto, ON., MSB 113. The Waterloo Chronicle is published cach Wednesday by Metroland Media Group Ltd. ONTARIO PRESS COUNCIL SALES REPRESENTATIVES ‘Norma CYCA ext. 223 neyca@waterloochronicle.ca Jackie HAMILTON ext. 228 jhamilton@waterloochronicle.ca Carly GIBBS ext. 222 egibbs @ waterloochronicle.ca 50478 !?l?:malional Standard Serial Num ber ASSN 0832â€"3410 Audited Circulation: 31,292 Brenda SOKOLOWSKI ext. 202 bsokolowski@ waterloochronicle.ca Bob VRBANAC EDITOR ext. 229 editorial@waterloochronicle.ca sports@ waterloochromcle.ca Jennifer ORMSTON REPORTER ext. 203 jormston@waterloochronicle.ca Greg MACDONALD REPORTER ext. 215 edmacdonald@ waterloochronicle.ca Gerry MATTICE ext. 230 RETAIL SALES MANAG sales @ waterloochronicle.ca Peter WINKLER PUBLISHER EDITORTAL ADVERTISING 8 * WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, April 30, 2008 LASSIFIED 19â€"895â€"5230 IRCULATION 19â€"886â€"2830 ext. 213 ‘anadian Publications Mail Sales ublication Agreement Number WATERLOO CHRONICLE 279 Weber St. N.. Suite 20 Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 519â€"886â€"2830 Fax: $19â€"886â€"9383 ww w waterloochronicle.ca EMAIL editorial @ waterloochronicle.ca FAX 519â€"886â€"9383 w8 GER There was also a demographic shift going on in some of Waterloo‘s older neighbourhoods, where despite bylaws to the contrary speeulators were buying up forâ€" mer singleâ€"family homes in areas like Northdale. The problem is historical, with both universities not planning enough onâ€"campus housing to meet the enorâ€" mous growth that they‘ve had, especially during the double coâ€"hort. There are some in the city who suggest that the probâ€" lem will solve itself over time, and with new legislation in the fall they‘ll have greater tools to address the probâ€" lems. There are others who suggest letting market forces come up with the solution. At the very least it demands some new thinking, and people willing to act before events spin out of control. Perhaps one of the solutions is to apply the zero tolâ€" erance approach to bylaw infractions that we saw in the fall to the end of the traditional school year. We don‘t need a repeat of Ezra Avenue again, and for those of you who don‘t remember, this isn‘t the first time something like this has happened on that street. This leads us to the bigger issue of student accomâ€" modation, and how we welcome almost 35,000 universiâ€" ty students to our city. The near riot on Ezra Avenue perfectly illustrates that. For all the people who say that it‘s just a few bad apples out there, there must have been bushels full of them out in Waterloo on the weekend. The truth is that there has always been some friction between the Fown and Gown set, which is why the city struck a committee to look into those issues in the first place. And while it‘s done a fine job of letting students know the demands of citizenship in the fall, unfortunately the lessons didn‘t last until the spring. It was timely that the Chronicle‘s been looking into the studentâ€"housing problems plaguing parts of our city because at times it seemed like events would outpace the reality on the ground No simple solutions VIEWPOINT (On a side note, when I took her for a walk last night a little girl pointed at her and said to her dad, "Look, there‘s a bunny rabbit.") Immediately I became selfâ€"conscious, and, I‘ll admit, a bit nervous. I was alone and my dog is not very scary looking. I was walking through my neighbourhood, listening to my iPod, when a beatâ€"up car full of young guys passed by. One of these hooligans opened the window and _ > screamed "nice ass." Maybe I had heard wrong, I thought.. Ilook at it as my daily exercise, and, as a result, I‘ve been wearing my workout gear, including my spandex pants. _ But after what happened last week, I won‘t be doing that anymore. When I get home from work, I take my pooch out for a long walk â€" it beats working out in the gym any day. Neighbours are getting their lawns ready for the summer, and doing work on the exterior of their homes. Walkers are out with their dogs getting some fresh air and exercise. That‘s something I‘ve been doing too. RJecentJy, everywhere I ook people are outside enjoying the sun. Students are reading on their porches around the universities. Arrival of the hooligans I couldn‘t believe my Plus, it made me really scared. I looked over my shoulder for the rest of the That‘s just not right. And it‘s a dramatic shift from the winter months, when no one heckled me. (Though, that could have something to do with the big puiffy jacket I wear every day As far as I‘m concerned, these young punks are rude and out of line. I have every right to walk around my neighbourhood without being harassed. Again, one of the guys put his head out the window and yelled "nice ass." Anyway, back to my story, I had crossed over a couple of streets when I saw the same rusty car approaching me again. This time I turned off my iPod so I would be able to hear any slurs they sent my I pretended not to notice them, but it was hard not to. JENNIFER ORMSTON I‘m sure that‘s not how these young people want to end their school year. Someone could have been seriously injured or I understand that young people want to let loose when the warm weather arrives and school‘s out. And I remember what it‘s like to finish the semester â€" I‘m not that far removed from my university days. But these antics are comâ€" pletely irresponsible. And it ties up police and firefighters, who had to repeatedly respond to disâ€" turbances in that neighâ€" bourhood throughout the night. Hopefully other Waterloo residents weren‘t in need of their services â€" the fireâ€" fighters, for instance, were busy with the burning garbage and furniture on The people involved lit a string of fires, which could have spread and caused sigâ€" nificant damage to nearby homes. * It seems the springâ€"like temperatures are bringing out the worst in some, including the person who shot two people with paint‘ balls and those who went wild on Ezra Avenue, an area populated primarily by stuâ€" dents, on Saturday night. _ This situation on Ezra is really concerning, I think. Just because it‘s warm outside doesn‘t mean socieâ€" ty has to fall apart. of the winter)