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Acton/Georgetown, Friday, April 27, 2007 7 Peter Pan is across the street I wrote this column in an Internet café on Bayswater Road, London, across the street from Hyde Park on the final day of my two-week trip. Less than a block east is 100 Bayswater Road, the home of the author/playwright James Barrie, known for his story Peter Pan, and across from his house, in Hyde Park, is Serpentine Pond, where Barrie watched the nannies pushing their prams, the children playing make-believe, as he allowed his mind to wander, creating the story of Neverland and Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up. A statue of Peter Pan, complete with images of Wendy, Tinkerbell, John and Michael incorporated into the base, graces one area of the park, just a stone's throw from Princess Diana's Memory Walk and memorial, and Kensington Palace, on the far side of the park. We had to visit that statue. Long ago, The Sidekick claimed Peter Pan as her hero-- end of discussion. Ten minutes to the west is Notting Hill Gate, the location where Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts created a heart-warming movie of the same name. The War Cabinet Rooms, the Winston Churchill Museum, even Buckingham Palace are all within a brisk walk of this location. And Big Ben booms out the time from the tower of the Parliament Buildings. It was the final day of my journey. The next day I would head home, and close another chapter of Keeping the Memory Alive. And strangely, as I watched the diverse population of London walking by, I was reminded of my grandfather again. When he was stationed here as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the Great War in 1918, many of the things I described above were also here. In many ways, it's like time stood still. I wondered if my grandfather felt a similar sense of awe as he took in all the sights of this huge city. I wondered if he sat in a local pub and ordered fish and chips, and a pint of whatever beer was on tap. We did share a number of things-- while here, he lost his father. I lost my aunt, Jean Whitmee. (Receiving the news, I was struck how he must Inkwell Montessori's Ted Brown have felt learning his dad had died.) My grandfather made the 10-day journey home on the HMT Caronia-- I had the advantage of doing the same trip on a plane in seven hours. On this pilgrimage to follow the footsteps of both the CEF and my grandfather, I accomplished what I set out to do. I felt the same feelings, smelled the same smells, and tasted the same tastes, as my grandfather and others of his era-- 90 years later. It's been a great learning experience, an incredible jaunt down roads laced with memories and emotions of what troops in the Great War experienced, and an opportunity to meet so many wonderful people on the way. I must acknowledge tour hosts Martin and Helen Boomsma, and Verstraete Travel. Without them, the trip would have been nothing. When I returned from my first journey to the battlefields of Europe two years ago, I was asked if that trip changed my outlook on war and remembrance. When one walks about towns that have been decimated by war and the people who live there have determinedly reconstructed their old buildings, as well as their lives, one can't help but be changed. War is an ugly thing, and those who took part, especially those giving their lives in the process, must never be allowed to fade from our minds. We owe it to them to keep the memory alive, forever. (Ted Brown can be reached at tbrown@independentfreepress.com) PRE-SCHOOL & ART CAMP OPEN HOUSE Saturday, April 28th 9:30 a.m. - Noon Come see what makes us different! www.inkwellmontessori.com or call 905-702-1203 Pre-school: ages 2.5 - 6 Summer Art Camp: ages 4.5 - 9 533 Main Street, GLEN WILLIAMS (St. John's United Church) The coffee's hot. Come to our free BioGuard® educational evening. We'll show you how to open your pool and give you tips on how to keep your water sparkling all summer long. NOTICE OF A PUBLIC MEETING WARD 2 Concerning Applications to Lift Town of Halton Hills Official Plan Amendment ­ DEFERRAL 18, a Zoning By-law Amendment and related Draft Plan of Subdivision. For lands located in Part of Lots 19 and 20, Concession 7, Town of Halton Hills (Esquesing) ­ municipally known as 11673 6th Line Town of Halton Hills Files: D09 Pilutti ­ Esquesing Developments Ltd. D12 Pilutti ­ Esquesing Developments Ltd. (24T-91006/H) D14 Pilutti ­ Esquesing Developments Ltd. (Formerly File E-75-048) General Committee of the Town of Halton Hills will conduct a Public Meeting to examine and discuss a proposed application to Lift Town of Halton Hills Official Plan Amendment - DEFERRAL 18, amend Zoning By-law 74-51, in conjunction with a 20-lot draft plan of subdivision. The proposed amendments apply to the property municipally known as 11673 the 6th Line, Town of Halton Hills (Esquesing). The 47.73ha (117.93 acre) subject parcel is located on the east side of the 6th Line, north of the 17th Side Road. The proposed Lifting of Official Plan Amendment ­ DEFERRAL 18 and Zoning By-law Amendment would result in the lands being designated to allow estate residential development and rezoned from a RURAL (RU) Zone to an ESTATE RESIDENTIAL (RE) and INHERENT HAZARD LANDS (OS2) Zones. The subdivision application processed under file 24T-03001/H, proposes the creation of 20 single detached residential lots, one (1) open space block and one (1) stormwater management block. Below is a map showing the location of the property which is subject to the proposed applications identified in this notice. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Town of Halton Hills in respect to the Lifting of Official Plan Amendment ­ DEFERRAL 18, proposed Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision, you must make a written request to the Town of Halton Hills ­ PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT Department at 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills, Ontario L7G 5G2. If a person or public body that files a notice of appeal of a decision of the Town of Halton Hills in respect to the proposed Lifting of Official Plan Amendment ­ DEFERRAL 18, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Halton Hills before the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment is adopted and the subdivision is Draft Approved, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) may dismiss all or part of the appeal. NOTE: Any written comments/objections submitted to the Town of Halton Hills regarding this Application(s) which is being processed under the Planning Act 1990, may be made public as part of the application process. Further information is available in the Planning & Development Department, Town of Halton Hills, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills, ON L7G 5G2 or contact the Planner assigned to the file, Mark H. Kluge at 905873-2601, ext. 2299. A copy of the related Staff Report will be available on Friday April 27, 2007 on the Town's website at: http://www.haltonhills.ca/planning/policyOPreview.php ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS ARE WELCOME. Limited Seating ~ RSVP Water Clarifier for every attendee (limit one per household). Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 7:00 p.m. ~ R.S.V.P. To Brampton Backyard Touch 318 Guelph Street , Georgetown HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm; Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 11 am - 3 pm To Acton Sinclair Delrex Hwy. 7 (Guelph St.) Backyard BEACHCOMBER Touch 905.873.8835 (FORMERLY BEACHCOMBER) MORE THAN JUST HOT TUBS DATE/TIME: Monday April 30, 2007, @ 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: Council Chambers, Civic Centre FILE NOS: D09 Esquesing Developments Ltd. D12 Esquesing Developments Ltd. (24T-91006/H) D14 Esquesing Developments Ltd. (Formerly File E-75-048) 46 w nvie ntai Mou 1 Halton Hills Dr., Halton Hills ON L7G 5G2 Tel.: 905-873-2600 · Fax: 905-873-2347