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THE NEW TANNER6THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010 EditorialMUSIC & with Frances NiblockPRAYER:Folk harpist, Eduard Klas-Exercise your votesen played his Christian based instrumental music at Like jury duty and paying taxes, voting in elections Knox Presbyterian Church should be compulsory a civic duty, not a civic right. on Sunday afternoon treating The traditionally low turnouts at the polls municipally, the congregation to interest-ing stories about his life since provincially and federally indicate the current system leaving his native Paraguay. is not working as it should in a democracy. In the 2006 Fifty people filled the pews municipal vote, less than 40 per cent of eligible voters to enjoy the freewill offering in Halton Hills cast ballots.concert. Denise Paulsen photoPeople who see voting as a civic right, not a duty, may not vote, possibly allowing special interest groups to Looking for that downtown dining experienceget into power. Thirty-two countries have some form of About once a month or so town was lit with Christmas compulsory voting 14 of them enforce it and some the Dude and I send Little J to lights in all the trees, and even have minimal fines for not voting.one of her grandparents homes on a miserable rainy night, the and head out for date night with By downtown looked welcoming. With acclamations of the three Acton councillors and friends.Angela TWe ended up going into a ylerthe mayor, there has not been a lot of interest in the Being that I was the stay-at-small restaurant that, well, just check out some of the shopping. home mom/housewife, I have looked cool from the outside. election in Acton, although all of those acclaimed have We had the same experience in the title of being social convey-Inside we were welcomed with worked during the campaign to ensure people cast their Erin recently as well. That Sat-or, which I took on whole hog. amazing service, excellent food urday though, while walking ballots for both public and Catholic school board trust-In the past, Ive tried to keep and it was a fair price. Overall, I around I really started looking dinners local and other outings think it was the service and the ees.at the stores and restaurants. fun. Weve dined at almost small restaurant atmosphere =-[Those who do not vote should lose the right to com-Their downtown is really every local establishment and that made the evening.nice. The stores are a variety weve bowled, gone to movies Throughout dinner, it was hard ment, question or complain about political issues. The of retail options and the res-and there is talk of a historic not to talk about what our town average taxpayer in Halton Hills paid Regional, Town taurants are numerous and train ride in the future. is lacking and that is food op-really catchy looking. Ive al-A few weeks back, the Dude, tions. Sure, we have fast foods, and education taxes of just under $1,000 per $100,000 ways liked our downtown and Little J and I, after the Trunk coffee shops and lets not forget of assessment last year. They should want to have a say shop as much as I can in-town, Sale and area garage sales fin-pizza establishments, but what even though I have been ac-ished for the season, headed we are really missing is a res-in who spends that money, and the way to do that is to cused of not promoting shop down to the Milton Farmers taurant downtown that is more vote on Monday between 10 and 8 p.m.Malocal enough by our economic rket. I have always really than fast food and more than a development officer in the past. enjoyed that market and Im bar atmosphere. We need some I often heard and agreed the rea-really looking forward to our place where we can re-create son our downtown doesnt have market being like that one day. the Milton experience last week as much is because we are too It was the perfect fall day. The here in Acton. Ive also heard Looking Backclose to the big retail like malls weather was great, the Market this from many others, so there and box stores. Yet, here is Mil-was packed with vendors and must be a demand, so whats the ton with box stores and a mall consumers and our little family issue? Ten years AgoFive Years Agoand their downtown still has it was having a great outing. I do think our downtown has The retirement of veteran Halton Hills Mayor Rick all. Most impressive was that A week or so before that I was improved greatly over the sad Acton councillor Norm Elliott Bonnette said it would be ab-for the majority the store fronts in Milton again getting my li-period it experienced about a has resulted in a five-way race solutely criminal if Halton had were stores and not services or cense plate sticker and parking decade ago. Its clean, the stores for the two local Acton seats on to accept waste from Toronto government offices. meant Little J and I had to walk we have are nice and the BIA Halton Hills Council in the mu-which does not have its own Last week the social conveyor a bit. I had always liked their does try, however, were mis-nicipal election.landfill site.scheduled date night for dinner downtown, yet this time, in-sing some stuff. I think there is Despite a promise from the Acton business owners Al in downtown Milton. I gave the stead of just driving through and still room for improvement and federal transport minister, bar-and Lois Fraser donated $5,000 gang two options. The down-admiring, we were able to also hoping we do get it.rier gates will not be installed to the Acton skateboard project before Christmas at the Fourth and challenge other business Line level rail crossing where owners to get out their cheque four people died in 10 months, books.because of design delays. Crews with heavy machin- The Acton branch of the ery placed a final layer of dirt on Canadian Cancer Society joined the former Beardmore Tannery the Wellington County Unit in-property as rehabilitation work stead of aligning with Oakville continued at the site, contam-or Burlington following a head inated with by-products of the office restructuring that saw the tannery operation that closed in Georgetown office close.the mid 1980s.Distributed to every home in Acton and area,EditorPublisheras well as adjoining communities.Ted TylerFrances NiblockEvery effort will be made to see advertising copy, neatly presented, is Editorial Contributorscorrectly printed. The publisher assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors or omissions in advertising, but will gladly reprint Mike OLeary Angela Tyler Denise Paulsenwithout charge that part of an advertisement in which an error may occur provided a claim is made within five days of publication.373 Queen Street East, Unit 1Advertising and Circulation Acton, Ontario L7J 2N2 All articles, advertisements and graphic artwork appearing in The Marie ShadboltNew Tanner is copyrighted. Any usage, reproduction or publication email: thenewtanner@on.aibn.comof these items, in whole or in part, without the express written consent Composing Ken Bakerof the publisher of The New Tanner is a copyright infringement and (519) 853-0051 Fax: (519) 853-0052subject to legal action.