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www.independentfreepress.com Ted Brown............... 7 Sports .................... 24 Calendar .......25, 35 Directory ...... 30, 31 Classifieds .....32-34 50 Cents (+ GST) Circulation: 22,800 ROOKIE BALL ACTION Georgetown Eagles prove gracious hosts in Ontario tourney PAGE 24 HEALTH CARE Look inside today's special section for health and fitness information 8-PAGE SECTION 64 Pages Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS THURSDAY, September 16, 2010 Taking ribbon-cutting to the (m)axe The Halton Hills Fire Department has been awaiting upgrades to its facilities for so long that its patience paid off with the opening of not one, but two new buildings last week. HHFD Chief Brent Marshall (left), Town of Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette (centre) and Ward 3 Councillor Moya Johnson, chair of the fire department committee, use axes to perform the ceremonial cutting of the fire hose in front of the department's new headquarters at Eighth Line and 10 Sideroad. For more on the official opening ceremonies of both fire halls, see page 3. Local youth obesity rates on the rise By CHRISTINA COMMISSO Special to the IFP Photo by Eamonn Maher Swapping video games for baseball bats is an idea one regional councillor offered to help curb obesity rates amongst Halton's youth, which according to a recent report are on the rise. "You don't see a lot of kids out there playing soccer or baseball," said Halton Hills Councillor Clark Somerville. "When it's too warm they stay inside and play video games all day." Staff unveiled the findings of the 2009/2010 Halton Youth Survey, which showed changes in obesity and drinking, smoking and cannabis use rates, during the region's Health and Social Services Committee meeting last week. The survey was conducted by the Our Kids Network as part of a three-year cycle of data collection. The first cycle of the survey, examining Halton's Grade 7 and 10 students, was completed in 2006. According to the survey, youth's body mass index has increased since the first survey. The percentage of overweight or obese Grade 7 students rose from 14 per cent in 2006 to 16 per cent in 2009. For Grade 10 students, that percentage increased from 20 to 22 per cent during the threeyear span. "This is what is consistent with what we're seeing across the county," said Dr. Bob Nosal, the region's medical officer of health. "We have launched the healthy weight strategy, it has been See YOUTH, pg. 3 YEARS IN BUSINESS! 42 Paint · Lighting · Wall Coverings Window Coverings · Home Decor W W W. B E R G S M A S . C A GEORGETOWN MARKETPLACE MALL 905-877-4193 REFINANCING? PURCHASING? 5 YEAR FIXED. CALL FOR DETAILS. 3.59% FSCO #10259 Division of 1490845 Ont. Ltd. BOB WOODS, Broker (905) 877-1490 360 Guelph St., Georgetown