Oak Bay Council is urged to consider the health of our community, particularly our children and grandchildren, and proceed immediately to enact a pesticide bylaw as recommended by parks and recreation staff.

2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) is one of the most common and most toxic herbicides used on US and Canadian lawns and gardens.  2,4-D has a notorious past. It was one of the two chemicals in the defoliant Agent Orange

A 2008 poll conducted for the Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division showed that the majority of British Columbians support the restriction of pesticide use.

The Canadian Cancer Agency points out that children are at a greater risk from pesticide exposure than adults because they are closer to the ground and their bodies are still developing.

Among the findings of the Pesticides Literature Review [i] conducted by the Ontario College of Family Physicians:

The following organizations are among the many that support the banning of 2,4-D and reduction of pesticide use:

Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Public Health Association
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada
The Lung Association of British Columbia
UBC Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Delegates to the 2008 Union of BC Municipalities
Ontario College of Family Physicians
Ontario Public Health Association
The Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario
Humane Society of Canada
David Suzuki Foundation
School District #61

http://www.ocfp.on.ca/English/OCFP/Communications/Publications/default.asp?s=1#EnvironmentHealth

Summary of Neighbourhood Meeting held March 6, 2010

On Saturday, March 6, 2010, a group of nine residents of Armstrong Avenue met with Garret Brisdon, Vice-Principal of Oak Bay High School, Nils Jensen and Tara Ney, Oak Bay Municipal Councillors and Jill and Tom Croft of the Oak Bay Community Association to discuss the redevelopment of Oak Bay High School.

Invitations to attend this informal meeting were extended to the residents of Armstrong Avenue and Cranmore Street, as they are adjacent to the School and are most affected by OBHS activities; it was felt that they should discuss the redevelopment plans and the possible impact on them.

A short presentation was made by Nils Jensen, followed by a discussion of a number of issues thought to be important to neighbourhood residents. The issues brought forward included (details are attached):

• location and design of the new school

• community use of buildings and fields

• parking

• location of the all-weather field

• use of the soccer field, running track and nearby field

• noise levels

• Bowker Creek development

• crime prevention

• use of a planning consultant

Redevelopment of Oak Bay High School, at a cost of some $53 million plus, is likely to be the most important building project in Oak Bay for the foreseeable future. As such, it was felt that the project’s architects and planners should work closely with the School District, High School, Oak Bay Municipality and concerned neighbourhood residents as all are important stakeholders in this development.

In this regard, we respectfully submit our ideas and concerns to the Board of School District 61, Oak Bay High School, Oak Bay Municipality and the Community Association of Oak Bay for their review and consideration.

Sincerely,

Gail Price-Douglas and J. Ross Peters
Armstrong Avenue Residents