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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009 5 *Book a Packeage, Cruise or Coach Tour by April 19, 2009 for travel between April 1 and October 31, 2009 and receive a $100 Sun Vacation gift Certificate per person (adults only). Sun Vacation Gift Certificates are applicable on all Transat Holidays Sun Packages booked by October 31, 2009 for travel between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010 in the Transat Holidays 2009-20010 Sun brochure. Not applicable to Air Only. Sun Vacation Gift Certificates will be issued one final payment is received. Certificates may not be redeemed for cash or for travel during Christmas, New Years, Easter or Spring Break. Flights from Toronto via Air Transat or Thomas Cook. Prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy, Option 1, unless otherwise stated. Space and prices are subject to availability at time of booking and subject to change without notice. Prices include Early Booking Savings. Taxes & fees are extra and noted above. For complete details and terms and conditions refer to the Transat Holidays 2009/2010. Europe brochure. Transat Holidays is registered as a travel wholesaler in Ontario (Reg # 50009486). 519-853-1553 1-888-833-8953 FAX: 519-853-1559 379 Queen St. E. Acton Coach Tours Classical Europe Early Booking Bonus Toronto Departures Italy, Spain & Greece Early Booking Bonus Save up to$500 per couple ITALY Bernini 15 Days 13 Nights 24 Meals $3299 4 nts Rome 2 nts Florence 1 nt Venice 1 nt San Marino 2 nts Sorrento 3 nts Amalfi May 9, add taxes $302 Grand Tour of iTaly 16 Days 14 Nights 27 Meals $3449 4 nts Rome 2 nts Florence 1 nt Venice 1 nt San Marino 2 nts Sorrento 1 nt Rende 2 nts Acireale or Giardini Naxos 1 nt Agrigento May 9, add taxes $302 FRANCE Paris & The french counTryside 9 Days 7 Nights 11 Meals $2099 7 nts Paris May 28, add taxes $337 SPAIN charms of andalusia 9 Days 7 Nights 14 Meals $1799 1 nt Toledo 12 nt Granada 1 nt Tor- remotlinos 1 nt Seville 1 nt Puerto de Santa Maria 1 nt Cordoba 1 nt Madrid May 18, add taxes $295 BesT of sPain & PorTuGal 16 Days 14 Nights 28 Meals $2999 4 nts Madrid 1 nt Leon 1 nt Oporto 1 nt Fatima 2 nts Lisbon 2 nts Seville 1 nt Granada 1 nt Valencia 1 nt Barcelona May 25, add taxes $295 AUSTRIA imPerial & romanTic caPiTals Vienna, BudaPesT, PraGue 9 Days 7 Nights 7 Meals $2099 3 nts Vienna 2 nts Budapest 2 nths Prague May 10, add taxes $313 Receive $200 in Sun Vacation Gift Certificates per couple when you book a package holiday to Austria & Central Europe or France by April 19, 2009!* Save $300 per couple when you book a coach tour 60 days before departures! Save $150 per person with the purchase of a coach tour (7 nights/9 days or more) at regular fare. For travel between May 1, 2009 and November 1, 2009. Not applicable to air only. Coach Tour Packages include: Roundtrip airfare, accommodation, transportation in air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, servi- ces of a professional English-speaking guide, meals and features as outlined in tour itinerary, baggage handling for one suitcase. Save $300 per couple when you book a coach tour 60 days before departures! Save $150 per person with the purchase of a coach tour (7 niths/ 9 days or more) at regular fare. For travel between May 1, 2009 and November 1, 2009. Not applicable to air only. LEGION NEWS By James Hayes P.R.O. BRANCH NO. 197 Comrades, The Initiation Ceremony last Friday evening saw 21 new members join the ranks of Branch 197. We welcome their participa- tion in the activities and work of Acton Legion. Birthday Bash One hundred plus, family and friends were on hand last Saturday afternoon to share in the celebration of comrade Gord Mc- Cutcheons 85th birthday. We wish him many more. By Frances Niblock Town Council could go on the offensive in the battle to stop the Halton District School Board from sell- ing a surplus portion of the McKenzie-Smith Bennett School site. In a Notice of Motion ap- proved unanimously last Monday, Town staff were asked to prepare a compre- hensive study of all Halton Hills school sites to exam- ine their role in terms of planning and zoning in the community. Mayor Rick Bonnette said the Town might freeze all school site lands for two years with an interim control bylaw, mak- ing the MSB land much less attractive to a developer. This is not a shot over the bow but this is almost as close as a direct hit as pos- sible and that is the interim control bylawthat would essentially freeze all lands for about a two year period, Bonnette said, adding they want their lawyers opinion on the move so it could be used if negotiations dont go well with the school board. Bonnette noted that the surplus land issue could come to a school ground anywhere in Halton Hills, and they need a comprehen- sive study to investigate the issues, including the fact that elementary school sites are zoned low density residen- tial, unlike high school sites that are zoned institutional and would require a public process to be rezoned resi- dential if declared surplus. The current role of each of the school sites in the com- munity fabric of the town would be investigated to de- termine whether the land use designations in the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw for all school sites are adequate, or should be changed to en- sure any proposed land use change for a surplus site re- quires amendments to both the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw. The issue of timing and availability of water and wastewater servicing would also be investigated in the study which Council wants to have the highest priority, with a hired consultant paid for from the tax stabilization fund, if necessary. Staff will report back with the terms of reference for the study and on the proposed interim control bylaw at the April 6 Council meeting. In a second Notice of Motion, also approved unanimously, Town Coun- cil formally went on record asking the school board to rescind its decision on the MSB school site. School board trustees have said they were directed by the Min- istry of Education to divest themselves of any surplus property in order to be eli- gible for funding for new schools and upgrades. The school board mis- calculated the anger and frustration of many people with its decision to list part of the MSB school site as surplus so it can be sold, according to Mayor Bon- nette. This is our opportunity to vehemently oppose this land being deemed surplus, and again, it was done with no consultation with the town, even at a staff-to-staff level, Bonnette said adding the petition being circulated, the Family Day rally and a press conference all well attended on short notice send a clear message that people are upset that part of the fabric that makes up Ac- tons heritage is threatened. The depth of anger and the tenacious community fight to try to convince the school board of rescind its decision was evident as three speak- ers updated Council on their efforts to date. 3,300 on petition MSB parent Allison Jones said 3,300 names have been gathered on a petition asking the school board to rescind its despicable decision to include the MSB site on the list of eight surplus proper- ties. She said a copy of the petition is available at Ac- tons Home Hardware if anyone wants to sign it. Robert Bedard, vice-chair of the MSB school council, said the original 1950s deci- sion by the Town of Acton to buy the school site was an investment by the commun- ity for the community. This site as a whole is a village green by intent I suspect, but by use as I have seenthis village green is a piece of the fabric of our community, Bedard said. Ian Watson, president of the Acton Villa Soccer Club, the largest external user of the MSB lands said the boards decision is a knee jerk reaction to short-term funding problem where the proposed solution affects the long-term future of the widely used sports field. Im very concerned about the future of public assets, and so as a resident of Acton, as taxpayer and a volunteer, Im asking Council to sup- port the community in urging the school board to reverse its decision until the proper analysis has been done and presented to the people of Halton Hills, Watson said. Council mulls over going on offensive over MSB land Entertainment Ron and Betty Nielson will be providing our en- tertainment in the games room on Saturday after- noon March 14. Pencil it in your calendar and come early to ensure a good seat. British Isles Show Sat. April 4 A bus and admission to the show is going to be available at a cost of $25 each. Enquire at the bar for further details. I under- stand there are very few tickets left! Sports Zone Euchre There will be a playoff at the Branch this Saturday, March 7 for teams wish- ing to go to Zone Euchre on March 21. Please note date change for playoff. Cribbage There is a team going to Provincial at Branch 85 in Kapuska- sing on March 14. B o w l i n g Wa y n e Mason will be going to Provincial Singles in Kitchener. Our best wishes to all of the above, during their up- coming competitions. Yours in comradeship, Jim Hayes, Branch PRO. INITIATED INTO 197: Twenty-one new members were initiated into Branch 197 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Acton on Friday night. They included, front, President Wes Kutasienski, Mia McAllister, Leslie Schipper, John Krapek, Lisa Fuller, Marie Richardson, Tony Marrow, Andrea Gill, George ODonnell. Second row: Frank McAllister, Robert Hicks, Jim Horne, Anne Horne, Brian Knott, Keri Kuechler, David Gill, Taylor French. Back row: Dermot Richardson, Stephen Richardson, David Richardson, Brian Kuechler, Peter Wilkinson, Erie Pinkerton. Photo by James Hayes.