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6 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,September 13, 2011 OPINION Road reminders They're back! In case you haven't noticed, our roads are experiencing more traffic now that summer vacation is officially over and thousands of Halton students are back to school. Motorists who were growing accustomed to the lack of school buses and crossing guards need a quick refresher about safety rules around our schools. Meanwhile, the Halton Regional Police Service provides the following school bus safety tips on its website. For motorists: · Drive with extra care whenever you see a school bus in front of you or coming toward you · Remember that if a school bus flashes its red lights, traffic in both directions must stop at least 20 metres from the bus, with the exception of when oncoming lanes are divided by a median strip. Travel may not resume until the school bus resumes motion and/or the lights have stopped flashing. First offenders of laws related to school buses face fines of up to $2,000 and six demerit points under the Highway Traffic Act For parents: · Remind children to be extra careful when boarding or disembarking from school buses · Make sure they remember to take a second look for traffic before crossing the road · Remind children to follow the school bus safety rules taught at school · Encourage children to help their school bus driver keep his/her attention on road safety by being good passengers. 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 Anonymous letters will not be published.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 Gymnastics club appreciates support Dear editor, On behalf of our hundreds of gymnasts and parents, local staff and volunteer Board of Directors, we would like to thank the Town of Halton Hills for its support of Halton Hills Gymnastics Centre during our recent crisis. As an organization and group of parents who have paid our share of municipal taxes over our 35 years in this community, we're glad the Town required such a detailed and realistic business plan in order to approve an interest-bearing loan to HHGC in this time of need. As the only not-for-profit group offering a full spectrum of artistic gymnastics in Halton Hills, our Centre is a perfect fit for the Town's Recreation & Parks Strategic Action Plan, which states that "the Town's first priority is to assist and support community groups in the provision of recreation and cultural opportunities." Unlike other local athletic and recreational organizations, HHGC does not operate out of Town facilities or receive direct funding or subsidies from the municipal government. Gymnastics is an important recreational option for adults and children alike, but especially for young girls, many of whom would not be involved in any athletic activity without access to gymnastics. With a population of close to 60,000, the Town's Recreation & Parks Department would have been hard-pressed to provide such access if HHGC had been unable to continue operations due to the collapse of a wall-- an event entirely beyond our control. We would also like to thank Town inspectors for ensuring HHGC facilities are now structurally sound and safe. Finally, we'd like to thank all those local families who have been patient and supportive during this crisis. We look forward to continuing to serve the residents of Halton Hills for years to come. The Board of Directors, Halton Hills Gymnastics Centre remembered, as we now struggle with high fees on the 407, and ever skyrocketing electricity costs (which were never necessary if we continued to own our electrical system). Half-truths of all kinds are flying about during the provincial election. It would do us all well to remember that when political ideology becomes more important than actual facts, no one wins. Picking ideology over facts gets you a government that gets us all into trouble-- no matter how you cut it. One other thing: inflammatory language (by our politicians and by the electorate) doesn't increase the intelligence of the debate. The increasing polarity of the Canadian political system reminds me of the U.S., and that's not a system to emulate. Monique Attinger, Georgetown WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) Do you intend to vote in the Oct. 6 provincial election? · Yes (81%) · No (16%) · Undecided (3%) it forward Facts over ideology Paying Dear editor, I would love to thank the person who turned in my wallet to Fresh Co. 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 scanner 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. Dear editor, In response to Mike Baker's September 6 letter, let us not forget that Mike Harris was able to produce three "balanced" budgets because of the sale of key Ontario assets, including Hwy. 407 (built with taxpayers' money) and parts of our provincial electrical system. These things are not to be fondly