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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, August 18, 2011 OPINION Here we are! In recent weeks, this community joined together to send thousands of postcards to Ontario Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne. The point was made in Queen's Park as the cards helped delay a decision on the Option 4-3 hwy in south Halton Hills. Perhaps next on our agenda is to start sending maps directing Ontario Minister of Health Deb Matthews to Halton Hills. Matthews has been on a whirlwind trip around Ontario since June doling out cash to hospitals-- hmmm do you think there's a provincial election in the offing? Just this week she handed out cash to Peel Memorial, Toronto Sick Kids and Toronto East General hospitals. So Madame Minister, where's the money for Georgetown Hospital? Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) wants to spend $12.196 million to renovate and expand the aging Georgetown Hospital and to add a CT Scanner. The case for provincial help has been made for years by HHS, Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott and then finally this past spring, by Mayor Rick Bonnette and his council. The Town even agreed to kick in a share by recently approving $2.682 million that would be levied on taxpayers. The Province is only being asked to hand out $1.9 million -- a far cry from the 90 per cent financing that they are supposed to cover. Still, Ms Matthews has failed to even accept the mayor's invitation to visit the hospital to see firsthand the overcrowding and aging infrastructure. Maybe she will accept Liberal candidate Moya Johnson's invitation because as Johnson says, "they understand it's an important issue for this riding." Perhaps the best option is everyone in this community should start emailing the Minister with a map attached: Here We Are! 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 Anonymous letters will not be published.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 Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Steve Nease Letters to the editor Roundabout is a better solution Dear editor, While a new left turn lane at Mountainview and Delrex may be an improvement, (Independent & Free Press, Odds and ends Aug. 2), it's unfortunate that this solution continues our committment to traffic solutions entrenched in conventional all-way or two-way stop, and signalized intersections. In contrast, according to studies from Ryerson University, the University of Windsor, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (USA), and many other reputable sources, traffic roundabouts provide significant safety gains, improved trraffic flow, cost savings, and improved aesthetics. The Insurance Institute reports that a single lane roundabout can handle about 25,000 vehicles per day; while a double lane roundabout can handle about 45,000 vehicles. Not too shabby. Derivative benefits include reduced fuel consumption, less electricity consumption, less noise, and no longer having to wait for a red light at an intersection where there are no other vehicles in sight for kilometres in any direction. There will be some education needed for drivers, but this isn't rocket science. Evidence shows that converting to roundabouts reduces accidents and injuries. There will be lost revenue for autobody shops; most drivers won't mind this. There will also be lost revenue for the makers of traffic signals, and installing contractors. But these are tax dollars, and we should insist on the best value for our money. More of the same traffic solutions is not the best value for our money, is not the best way to handle our growing traffic volume, and is defintely not the best way to reduce accidents and injuries: roundabouts are. D.J.Williams, Georgetown the strawberries. Thank you to Reverend Paul Ivany and the Norval United Church who allowed us the use of their church hall. Many thanks to the Georgetown Seniors Centre for lending us glassware and thank you to Mrs. A. Landry for designing our advertisement poster. Thanks to all the volunteers and friends who baked cakes, dressed up the hall, and helped prepare and serve strawberries. Especially thank you all for coming and see you next year. Iona Lobb Convenor of the Strawberry Social WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) MTO Minister Kathleen Wynne has delayed a decision on the 4-3 highway to Spring 2012. Do you think... 1) This is just a ploy to avoid the provincial election campaign. (88%) 2) This is a genuine effort to study the issue thoroughly. (12%) GHVA says thanks for successful social Dear editor, The Georgetown Hospital Volunteer Association held a very successful Strawberry Social on July 6th. We would like to thank Andrews Scenic Acres for their donation of Grateful owner pays it forward Dear editor, I would love to thank the person who turned in my wallet to Fresh Co. this past weekend (Aug. 3/4). They did not leave their name, but in an effort to "pay-it-forward" I will be donating to the Georgetown CT Scan fund. Many thanks to you and those like you. P.L. Taylor Georgetown 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.