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6 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,July 19, 2011 OPINION The heat is on At the risk of sounding like a broken record, area residents should be cognizant of the hazards the current heat wave poses. With no relief-- or measurable rainfall-- in sight, it is imperative that everyone take preventative steps to avoid a heat-related tragedy. Sadly this weekend in Ontario we saw two lives lost to on-the-water tragedies and a 10-year-old boy nearly drowned in an Etobicoke pool. With temperatures in the mid-30sC and humidex numbers hitting the low-40sC it takes very little exertion to put a strain on your body. Remember to drink plenty of fluids (preferably water or fruit juices), don't work or exercise outside if you can avoid it and make sure your pets also have access to plenty of water and are kept out of heat -- don't leave them in your vehicle no matter how short a time. Residents are also reminded the Town has a number of cooling centres for residents to beat the heat (a list is available on the Town's website at www.haltonhills.ca) along with several pools and splash pads. If you do venture out onto the water remember to always wear your life jacket and to follow the laws of the waterways. A moment's lapse in judgment can quickly turn tragic. Residents should also be extra aware to help any senior neighbours who may be having difficulty with the heat, as those over 65 are especially prone to suffering heat or sun stroke. Using a little common sense, we can all get through this stretch of uncomfortable weather. Just think, only 158 days until Christmas! 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Steve Nease Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters to the editor Planned station in wrong place Dear editor, Good news and bad news for Acton. The good news is the extension of the GO service to Acton will also serve communities to the west, such as Rockwood. Rockwood is slated to grow even larger than Acton, which is attributed to the Metrolinx people originally looking for a site on the west side of Acton. The bad news is, Metrolinx is now saying their preferred site is downtown Acton on the olde Hide House parking lot. This site may have worked once, but with the changing growth patterns, it will throw the whole downtown core into gridlock. It will be a nightmare for commuters and downtown merchants alike. There will be overflow with cars being parked on the side streets. This will especially occur during the winter months. As the need for more parking grows, we could see homes being expropriated. If the train does park across the tracks, there would be a real disaster with emergency vehicles not being able to respond in a timely matter. The town has an `ace in the hole' that, if played properly, can avoid this disaster. We, the people of the town, actually own the piece of property that Metrolinx says they prefer. The mayor and the councillors, especially the Acton councillors, have the opportunity to stand up and discuss a positive vision for the Town of Acton. They must realize that agreeing to a GO station on the main drag is not the type of legacy they wish to leave. Dave McNally, Georgetown of bikes will put an end to these dangerous situations and lack of respect for the rules. Works in Europe. Marinus (Rein) Pater, Georgetown Looking for Wish Dear editor, Through difficult circumstances we have seen that Georgetown is a town full of compassionate people. We, unfortunately, lost our dog Wish, our seven-month old sheltie, that has been missing since June 27. Since the first minute she was gone, we have seen the heart of our community. It has been amazing to see others give of their time and express their concern for our dog and family. Wish is still out there and we pray for her return. Thank you to everyone for banding together to search, call and tell others to keep a look out. It is a great comfort to know that people care and are willing to give to others in their time of need. Wish is a blue merle sheltie with different shades of grey, white around her neck and tan on her muzzle and legs. She was wearing a pink collar. If you have seen her call 519-853-5491. Caitlyn Dykxhoorn, Acton WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) An east-west highway corridor (Option 4-3) that would run through south Georgetown (between 5 and 10 Sideroads) is under consideration by the Province. Which east-west option is more palatable to you? · Widen Hwy. 401 (58%) · Option 4-3 is fine (27%) · No highway expansion at all (15%) Same rules for all Dear editor, Coming from a country where sharing of roads between cars and bikes is a given, I agree with your recent comments (Share the road June 7 editorial). However, for this to work, enforcement of the "rules of the road" will have to be applied to bikes, as it does to cars. How often does one see a cyclist pulled over, after ignoring red light or stop signs? Lights on bikes after dark is also a rare sight. Fines and/or the confiscating The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.