Sixth Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY Beardmore buyer Abbott Conway leads fight to preserve wilderness ABBOTT CONWAY Chamber plans several events A belief that the people of Ontario have a right to reasonably accessible areas being set aside for wilderness recreation and that the government must provide clear policies to protect these areas and see these policies are carried out has been earning Abbott Conway a buyer for and Company a lot of ink in newspapers across the province for the past two years equipment instead of bush gangs Abbott explains Roads were built wide enough far two trucks to pass each other at miles per hour Chain saws and timberJacks were brought In all of which helped to disturb the normal peaceful surroundings of the parte Second meeting of the new executive of the Acton Chamber of Commerce discussed the Citizen of the Year award town appearance and organizing an enlarged annual sportsmen among other items of business Roy Goodwin Is president with past president John 1st vice Paul Nielsen and second vice Alan Eastwood Treasurer is Chester Anderson secretary Donald McDonald and directors ore John Secord John Fred Gordon Don Kevin Conroy Ron McKnight Syd Lamb and Mike DeJong Choose citizen of year The civic committee has requested interested people begin considering their choice for Citizen of the Year and reasons tor their selection The Chamber is hopeful there will be keen Interest in the function anticipating heavy mall in the next few weeks All correspondence should be sent to Acton Chamber of Commerce Social committee chairman Alan Eastwood Is involved In organizing the Citizen of the Year dance which will take place Saturday April 2 TheShaynes Acton popular dance group have been engaged to play for the event Tickets are available through the executive The Chamber hopes to form a Beautify Acton committee which would be concerned with the general appearance of the town on an all year round basis and would Include looking after Christmas lighting Show success The success of last year sportsmen show has spurred members into hopes the event will be held annually John told the Chamber he has obtained the co operation of Parks Board again regarding use of the park lake and arena lor a two or three day event He has also written to numerous organizations in town who assisted at last year s show requesting their help again The Labor Day weekend is favored for the show and the Chamber executive was enthused that with many events already booked they could look forward to a full weekend of outdoor ac tivities Protection the wilderness values Ontario provincial parks from destruction by commercial or other uncontrolled interests is the concern of the Algonquin League of which Mr Conwayhas been president since its formation in the summer of Five parks Algonquin Lake Superior Klllamey and arc the main concerns of the league The name Algonquin was chosen for the league because the park carries with it the image of these wilderness values Algonquin Park has also been the one hardest hit by problems of intrusion by lumbering Have support The member league has the support of well known conservation groups like the Federation of Canadian Naturalists the Conservation Council of Ontario and the Canadian Society No director or member of the league Is paid It Is strictly a voluntary group Conway who Journeys to Toronto from his home near Arkell at least one night a week for meetings has travelled most of the main canoe routes in Algonquin Park and has been In all parts of the park except the southwest portion Most of his excursions in the park were carried out while he was president and general manager of Anglo Canadian Leather Company Limited in He came to Acton In Lumbering is the principal problem In Algonquin Park he In the midfifties they started working with mechanized Concerned about further disturbances the league sub mitted a plan for zoning of the park in the spring of 1069 The result was a provisional master plan drawn up by the government The plan pleased neither conservationist or lumber company officials The league asked that per cent of the land In the park specifically the western half be zoned primitive At that time the government was prepared to zone only per cent of the land primitive Nor were they prepared to zone as primitive any land which already was under a timber licence We never said all logging in the park should be stopped Conway points out What we said Is it should be phased out in the western half Terrain different Terrain quite different in the eastern half of the park than In the western half Sandler soil In the eastern half is more Inclined to produce pine and poplar trees Different types of logging ore carried on in each half Communities like Pembroke and Huntsville depend heavily on the park timber trade The league position on logging in Provincial Park near Thunder Bay has been somewhat more adamant They had no business cutting in at all Conway says FINAL CLEARANCE ON OUR ENTIRE WINTER STOCK MISSES LADIES WINTER BOOTS Assorted Reg to 15 00 AA CLEARING AT ONLY BOYS MEHS Green Insulated WINTER BOOTS BOYS MEHS SPECIAL FEATURE MENS WESTERN BOOTS to 18 Reg to now 1250 now 1800 Limited Sizes Only LADIES DRESS SHOES Reg to 00 Only 500 LADIES CASUALS Reg to 5 Now 2J LADIES SPRING RUBBER BOOTS White Black 3 99 WEEKEND SPECIAL 3l49 LADIES SLIPPERS Sues 8 to Only Reg to 00 NOW ONLY 200 MENS DRESS SHOES Reg to 22 00 SPECIAL VlUU WEEKEND SPECIAL Basketball Boots YOUTHS to 13 139 to boys to 169 PLUS MANY OTHER ITEMS AT LOW CUT PRICES DISCOUNT SHOE STORE Main St We will not knowingly be undersold According to the league president logging operations there employ only about persons He feels arrangements could be made to relocate the Workers Until recently per cent of was under timber licence but the government withdrawal square miles from licence makes It possible for per cent the pork to be zoned primitive Part of the problem with unnecessary logging is that researchers have not yet been able to find a commercial way to regenerate ydlow birch Yellow birch Is not a vanishing species but it hard to find the veneer yellow birch Conway explains Although excessive lumbering is the principal problem endangering the wilderness of the it the only one Commercial installations like restaurants and service that are locating close to the highway running through part of the park are not compatible with the league Idea of a wilderness tone Promise solitude According to Conway the government promises visitors to the park our things quiet solitude enjoyment of natural surroundings and development of selfreliance He considers the latter a very Important part of the wilderness concept Conway points to an old adage Hiadventure is the result of incompetence to Illustrate his point Successful adventures into the wilderness where there are no services to use as crutches can be of great assistance psychologically in overcoming the tensions of urban life Construction of roads In the park diminishes the opportunity for adventure Canoe routes in the park are becoming more crowded every year The run from Canoe Lake to Brent is just like Grand Central Station in the summertime he says In August of 1966 a Toronto daily reported the discovery of a fishing party using highpowered motor boats trucked into the wilderness area over logging roads The party was discovered Prepared by the midlands LEAGUE PROPOSAL FOR ZONING ALGONQUIN PARK in Booth Lake about four miles Inside the park boundary miles from Barry Bay In another instance a canoe party came upon water skiers being towed by a horsepower outboard motor Deer seldom seen Deer that used to come right up to cars near the old road are seldom seen near the new road Since the Department of Lands and Forests abandoned Us headquarters at Cache Lake there is no one to feed them In the winter The park timber wolf population the most southerly in Ontario could also be in danger because of a group In Bancroft which recommends poisoning the wolves because they are killing the deer Accurate aerial surveys of the park animal population cannot be taken but the number of timber wolves Is estimated at between 200 and The park covers on area of square miles Request for zoning of certain parts of provincial parks as primitive Is not unreasonable far as the league Is concerned With the exception of Polar Bear provincial park and the district of Patricia both of which are cessible only by air the province provincial parks represent less than percent of Ontario total land mass The league Is not against campers its merely Interested in preserving portions of parks as wilderness Members would like to see development of satellite parks for campers outside of the wilderness zone With so many organizations working towards preservation of parks why was it necessary to form another some ask League members feeling Is that other societies cover such a broad field of conservation problems that their energies are of necessity spread over a vast geographic area and a wide range of Interests There Is a need they feel for a special group to focus the views of those who seek their recreation back from the roads on the wilderness trails and waterways of Ontario During his term as president Abbott has been interviewed on television and on radio by Betty Kennedy and John Brad The league and Algonquin Park were also discussed on Joe open line show broadcast over station CHIN The league intends to continue its efforts towards having a large part of the western half of the park zoned primitive end Is ready to enlist new members Membership fee is The league s mailing address is The Algonquin League Box Postal Station Toronto Why campground stall asks Hegedus family Esquesing holding by law hailed by many is hardly being touted by the family of 1 Georgetown They hive acquired the franchise for a of America KOA tourist campground which they propose to operate on Iheir property on west half of Lot Concession 7 in Esquesing The pro pert is located adjacent to and northeast of the Cedar Springs Motel Unless the family can get plans under construction by March 1 they will be left of the directory which goes to over one million American campers and practically assures the success of the operation The franchise cost them Appear write They wrote and appeared before council with plans for their enterprise on January and asked for a permit to operate their campground According to Hegedus councillors verbally approved establishment of the campground but so far they have no permit The only reason they can sec for reluctance to grant them a permit is they fall to conform to the land hold by law But Mr Hegedus says their plans correspond with the Official Plan as it Is being proposed and with the actual growth potential of the existing area They pointed this out in a letter asking for an amendment to by law the controversial by law over which the Ontario Municipal Board is now pondering following a hearing Thursday February Says reapply At the hearing chairman David suggested the Hegedus refer their former application to council again asking for an amendment But they arc concerned that action Is going to be too late for them to benefit In the new submission to council they point out that ac cording to by law certain lands are to be used for establish ment of tourist camps trailer camps or motels ljind designated for this purpose Is on Ixit Con but does not quite encompass the property they hope to develop They are asking for an on of the confined area so they can meet the requlremtnts of a well organized establishment they say they wish to develop They point out In the letter that the land they propose to develop has never been used for on agricultural purpose since most otitis unkempt bush swampy infertile land They feel development they make on the land will be a decided improvement Area benefit The family also point to statistics issued by the Ontario Department of Tourism forecasting 1 campers in Ontario They feel this area would benefit from the tourists who would use their campground and take in local attractions Their franchise which expires July unless operating offers restrooms showers laundry facilities recreation room and a place to buy groceries The campground will have spacious sites picnic tables and fireplaces complete utilities swimming pool playground area and mini golf area They can understand why anyone would object to this type of They are also wondering why they are being stalled on a project they feel does not contravene any existing or intended by law in the Township of RIO