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OPINION Inside todays edition of The Independent & Free Press there are four pages dedicated to Celebrating Our Youth. In it, are profiles of young residents recognized by the Mayors Youth Action Committee for promoting a positive image of young people and generating aware- ness of the value of the contributions youth can make. To these young people we offer our congratulations. However, on page 1, the actions of other not-so- accomplished youths are also highlighted. At the risk of being accused of ageism, we feel were safe in suggesting the recent spate of vandalism par- ticularly that which occurred this past weekend and specifically at Remembrance Park, Fairview Cemetery and Rotary Park was committed by young adults. Statistics prove middle age people or senior citizens are not often the perpetrators of mindless vandalism. While vandalism has been an ongoing problem for years in Halton Hills, this weekends heinous acts are particularly galling because of the targets. Only hours after 1,100 school children paid tribute to war veterans in a moving Candlelight Tribute cere- mony, a person or persons thought nothing of piling the candles together so that it caused a fire, damaging the cenotaph. The same weekend in Acton, vandals defaced graves, broke benches and generally made a mess of the cemetery. It takes a hapless individual to wantonly damage another persons property, it takes an even lower life form to target symbols that hold special meaning to many people. In the case of Remembrance Park it is somewhat ironic that the hoodlums who felt free enough to wreak havoc on the park are only free because of the efforts of those the park honours. The next generation owes much to the greatest generation. It is just sad some of them dont realize it. Lowest of the low Steve Nease LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear editor, We have lived in Georgetown for many years and it is hard to believe that the cinema is being closed espe- cially after hearing that they are plan- ning on closing it to make it into another dollar store. This cinema is a landmark of Georgetown and if it is closed it forces us to travel outside of Georgetown to other cinemas that charge an arm and a leg to get into. Not being able to go to the local cinema will be a huge loss. Heather Stephens and eight others Dear Mr. Mayor, My friends and I have been going to the cinema on Toonie Tuesdays for years. People look forward to going to the cinemas now; many would not have been able to afford this otherwise. We do not need huge screens and fancy seats, we like being small town. There are not many cinemas like ours left anymore. Please keep our cinemas. Carole Norton, Georgetown Dear Mayor Bonnette, I have a small child and it is hard to get to Brampton or Mississauga to see a movie. The lineups and the costs at those other chains are at the least very inconvenient and difficult for a parent on a fixed income. Please keep a small family-run theatre in Georgetown. As a taxpayer and a consumer I may not be able to stop your bad deci- sion and short-sighted judgment, but I can choose who I vote for and where I shop. Shaun Laverty, Georgetown Dear sirs, I often drop my teenage daughter at the movies with her friends and pick them up later, without having to worry much about their safety, as they are close to home in an environment that feels safe. It would be a very different feeling if it were a big movie complex, similar to the ones in Brampton or Mississauga. The theatre in Georgetown is conveniently located in our town, close to home, the prices are affordable and it is safe for our kids and a great place to teach them to be independent. I am writing to ask you to take whatever actions you can to stress to the landlord the importance of the theatre in our community and attempt to persuade him/her to extend the term of the lease and permit our the- atre to continue to operate. Sabri Mez-Laverty, Georgetown Dear Mayor Bonnette, This letter is to find out why the Town of Halton Hills has approved the replacement of our local cinema with a bigger and better Dollarama? Please do what it takes. If this information had been made public when it should have been, you would have clearly known what the people of Georgetown need and want. Suzanne Ropitzky, Georgetown Dear Suzanne, The Town of Halton Hills had noth- ing to do with the decision to close the cinema. The plaza owners do not need councils approval on who they can or cant lease their property to. Wed all love to see it open but this is a business decision made by the owners of the plaza. There is no permit for demoli- tion of the building. I have written the owners and voiced our disappointment with their decision with hopes that they may reverse their decision. Again, we do not have control over private business therefore we (Town council) have had no say in their deci- sion. I am pleased you contacted me so I could set the record straight from people being misinformed. Mayor Rick Bonnette Cinemas closing sparks flood of letters Letters to the editor must include an address and daytime telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 200 words and may be edited for content and/or length. E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1 Publisher Ken Nugent Advertising director Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager Nancy Geissler (distribution@independentfreepress.com) ADVERTISING Advertising co-ordinator Jennifer Christie (jchristie@independentfreepress.com) Retail Sales: Jennifer Spencer (jspencer@independentfreepress.com) Brendan Louth (blouth@independentfreepress.com) Amy Sykes (features@independentfreepress.com) Andrea Lefebvre (alefebvre@independentfreepress.com) Real estate: Sue Spizziri (realestate@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds: Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) ACCOUNTING Rose Marie Gauthier, Michelle McEachern EDITORIAL Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) PRODUCTION: Mary Lou Foreman, Kevin Powell, Shelli Harrison, Dolores Black, Debbie MacDougall STAFF DIRECTORY Send us a letter! Phone: 905-873-0301 Fax: 905-873-0398www.independentfreepress.com Something bugging you? What do you think? Below are the results of our most recent online poll. For the current poll go to www.independentfreepress.com The Georgetown Cinemas are poised to close May 13. Do you think the Town of Halton Hills should get financially involved in efforts to keep private businesses in operation? Yes. The Town should do whatever it can to help businesses like the cinema stay open, even if it results in tax hikes. (42%) No. The Town has no place involving itself, and taxpayers, in private business operations. (58%) The Independent & Free Press is published Wednesday and Friday 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. THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS The following are excerpts from letters sent to both The Independent & Free Press and Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette concerning the closure of Georgetown Cinemas. Copies were made available for publication. Cinema a landmark Stop this bad decision Few small cinemas left Theatre safe for kids Did Town approve deal? Mayor sets record straight 6 Independent & Free Press, Wednesday, May 14, 2008