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NEC decision on track was short-sighted
Wednesday August 20 2008
 
Dear editor,
I am writing to inform you about a grave injustice made by the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) on July 17.  
You might have heard about the BMX track in Halton Hills, which was named after my late brother, Tim DaSilva. Two years and two days after we lost Tim, his family and friends, tried everything possible to get the NEC to change their old-fashioned way of thinking. We had to flatten the track where my brother took his last breath, a track made with his sweat and tears and blood.
My brother died trying to build the best BMX facility in Canada in order to get the children of the future to the Olympics. Tell me how voting in favour of 10 or so neighbours is the right thing to do when, in order to do that, you are throwing away the dreams and chances for hundreds of children in our community?
The Ontario government has put programs into place for children to get active and healthy. They even started up a program where parents can be partially reimbursed for enrolling their children in sport activities. This year, for the first time ever, BMX is an Olympic sport. How can anyone say no to having a facility as well maintained as Tim DaSilva BMX, which is totally self-sufficient, run by volunteers and costs no one a penny?
Commissioner member Joan Little said that she “felt for the DaSilvas but her heart goes out to the neighbours who put their hard-earned cash into those properties”.  Neighbour Jack Pemberton, stated that a BMX facility is comparable to growing marijuana in his backyard. Comparing BMXing to pot, was a low blow thrown at us without a chance to rebut the issue.  
He also mentioned that his property value has decreased. I would think it was the opposite, because if you have ever seen the grounds at Halton Place you would agree that it is always immaculately kept.
Tim will NEVER be forgotten, he will always be honoured and the NEC doesn’t deserve to have such an outstanding facility under their jurisdiction. They have decided that money means more than a legacy. They have shown the community that they are only interested in the well-being of their fellow generation members and not future generations.
Jessica DaSilva Medeiros, Milton