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G Independent & Free Press, Wednesday, February 14, 2007 3 "Acton's sweetheart" is how Marlene Beitz of Links2Care describes Valentine's Day birthday girl Mae Hoare. Hoare turns 90 today (Wednesday), and at that age she is older than most of the clients she delivers food to every other Friday from her sporty red car as a Meals on Wheels volunteer in Acton. But that doesn't bother Hoare at all, who has been delivering Meals on Wheels for more than 25 years. "I'm the oldest everywhere," Hoare said with a laugh, who celebrated her birthday with family and friends at party at Acton Legion Sunday. "She's very reliable, very wonderful and very dedicated," said Beitz, volunteer co-ordinator with Links2Care. "She's very fit, very active, very positive. She doesn't live in the past." Beitz said she remembers during the 1998 ice storm that hit parts of Quebec and Ontario Hoare, who was a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross, was ready to go to the affected areas and help. She was 81 at the time. Hoare's son John was not too keen on the idea. "I said I'll put my snowmobile suit on and I'll be fine. I would have loved to have gone," said Hoare. In the end, no volunteers from Acton went Hoare said. Volunteering is a way of life for Hoare, Acton's Citizen of the Year in 1997 and a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal. Along with Meals on Wheels, Hoare has been a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross Society for A Valentine's Day sweetheart Council loses patience with long-delayed developments LISA TALLYN Staff Writer CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer The clock is ticking on three proposed rural estate subdivisions after Halton Hills council decided to set a deadline for action for an Acton area plan. Sanmike Construction requested an extension of its draft plan approval of a rural 20-lot estate home project at the southeast corner of Regional Rd. 25 and 32 Sideroad, north of Acton. The subdivision was previously known as Halton Greens or Debryn-Pecan when it was originally draft approved in 1988. But little action has taken place on the site in the last 19 years. Planning Director Bruce MacLean is recommending council extend the draft approval until October 30, and he has made it clear to the developer that this will be last time. Current delays have been attributed to a Land Titles Act appeal by neighbours and draft plan conditions revisions required by Halton Region. Settlements on both issues are imminent, said MacLean, and he sees no reason why Sanmike couldn't register the subdivision by the fall deadline. BRUCE The actual project is now contrary MacLEAN to the new Official Plans of both Halton Region and the Town, pointed out Mayor Rick Bonnette, who seemed to have lost patience with the project. He wanted a list of other similar proposal languishing on Town planning books. "I think we should give all of them nine months, and say `either get in or get out!'," the mayor said. "Because, quite frankly, today they would never have been approved. "After 19 years, surely to God they've could have come to some resolution on this...It's a joke in my opinion by the developers. I think they're just stretching everything so they can to try to wait for the land value to increase in value." His sentiments were echoed by many councillors around the council table, some of whom were even reluctant to even grant the nine-month extension. "I think council has sent a clear message tonight," said MacLean, who plans to bring forward a report on the two remaining long-term developments and what processes are necessary to ensure no further extensions or approvals to allow their continued existence. These two are the Churchill Valley Estates (23 homes) on Winston Churchill Blvd. and Esquesing Developments Ltd, (20 homes) on Sixth Line. A similar deadline was imposed last year to a proposed rural estate project in the rural cluster of Bannockburn at the corner of Hwy. 7 and Fourth Line (now a temporary golf driving range). Its deadline is in March. The Town of Halton Hills decision is a recommendation only to Halton Region, which has the final authority. (Cynthia Gamble can be reached at cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Longtime Acton resident Mae Hoare turns 90 today-- Valentine's Day-- but that doesn't mean the energetic volunteer expects to slow down any time soon. She has volunteered with Meals on Wheels for the past 25 years, along with numerous other charitable organizations. Photo by Ted Brown many years. She has also been a longtime canvasser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Hoare has also canvassed for the Canadian Cancer Society and been a member of the Acton Legion Auxiliary for more than 20 years and a member of the Legion Branch for 25 years. For several years she co-ordinated the legion's children's Christmas party. "I figure I'm left here for some reason and I don't work anymore. I'm not a person to sit around. If I can help someone I'm happy doing it," said Hoare. Hoare has been an active volunteer since her retirement from dietary services at Georgetown Hospital when she was 62. She also enjoys spending time with her family which includes two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, golfing in the summer at Acton Meadows where she is a honorary member, bowling in the winter and for the past 75 years singing in the St. Alban's Church choir. (Lisa Tallyn can be reached at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) More funding needed for local child care Continued from pg. 1 The child-care plan reinforces the need to push both the provincial and federal levels of government for funding. "We want to continue to be a voice that's heard," Jonz said. Planning for this child-care plan was already in the works when the Ontario government announced its Best Start initiative last year for kids up to six years old. Since Halton's Child Care Plan focuses on kids up to 12 years old, this plan was broader than Best Start, but had similar goals, a staff report states, and the two initiatives were melded together. "An integrated approach to planning was essential," the report reads. The plan was developed jointly by the Our Kids-Early Years/Our Kids Network and the Children's Services division. The data came from parents, child care staff and community agencies. Focus groups were held and surveys collected. The next steps will include the development of a financial plan, which should be in place by the fall, Jonz said. Regional Chairman Gary Carr commended staff for their work on the child care plan. "The work you're doing is terrific," he said. Committee member Carol D'Amelio expressed her appreciation for the presentation to the committee, commenting the report was "a tough read". And committee Chair Jeff Knoll remarked the work done by staff won't be short lived. "I know we're going to reap the benefits for years to come," he said. Exemption wanted Halton Hills council supported a Town of Minto resolution demanding that the provincial government exempt Royal Canadian Legions from the education portion of the property taxes. Legions are exempt from payment of all other taxes with the exception of the provincially-mandated education taxes, said the mover of the town motion, Ward 3 Councillor Dave Kentner.