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ADD battles drunk driving support growing by Jeff Andrew When a chad is struck by a drunk driver La often the policeman who most carry the shattering news to the parents doorstep a Peel Region officer John Gray baa bad to perform dreaded part of the Job But roles were Good Friday of this year He stood in the door way of his Brampton home and heard a fellow officer deliver the news to him He and Us wife Ruth learned their son Neil bad been killed by a tut and run driver believed to be impaired that evening the driver was later apprehended and charg ed People who have had their chad IdDed by n impaired driver will tell you they feel absolutely useless unable to do anything said Gray reflecting on the grief and sense of helplessness felt by the Grays and surviving son Paul Stemming from the tragedy was bom a drive to strike a blow against impaired driving in Canada to end the helplessness of victims and survivors And so it was the Grays helped found Against Drunk Driving Founded in the spring ADD is a grass roots organization determined to tap the growing public frustration with the rising statistics for and property loss due to drunk drivers John Gray Is becoming a focus of national media attention he and his wife and supporters doggedly build Their efforts are paying off Weve got chapters right Canada he says and were gaining J lumbers fast The word is spreading and so Is the list of communities signing up for the fight Calgary Saskatoon Brandon Brampton Iberville Over 4 ADD bumper stickers have been distributed nationally and Gray says they are popping up all over People who have been touched by the tragedy of impaired driving as well those who have not are being recruited Into ADD because of Grays conviction know ledge and reasoned approach Letters of support donations supplies computer time anything people can offer to help are bolstering the groups campaign At the heart of ADD are some well objectives a one year minimum sentence lor a first impaired driving of a fiveyear minimum jail sentence for a second or subsequent offence life imprisonment for impaired driving causing death a lowering of the legal level for im pairment to mg of alcohol per 100 mg bloodasopposedtothecurrentlevelof OS Gray says there is substantial medical data to support such a change an end to plea bargaining by defence lawyers with Crown Attorneys a lifetime licence suspension for any ooa convicted of impaired driving of fence They are severe measures but it la view that tough steps are the only solution to the growing problem In a recent ADD newsletter Gray cites Ontario government figures Indicating that to int about SI per cent of drivers involved in fatal accidents had consumed alcohol By 1981 the figure was over per cent ADD also aims to establish outreach programs to reform drunk drivers as a supplement to existing ones but Gray says that unless tough sentences are meted out there will be no incentive to participate People who are convicted and let out onto tbe street have no reason to volunteer for the programs he says Reforming those who drink and drive will have the bonus of providing ADD with potential supporters who can speak about tbe problem with experience Reformed drunk will be wel corned with open arms says Gray If we can win an Impaired driver over to our side we will have the best tool we can ever have for our organisation But now ADD is working hard at a public awareness campaign and a support and counselling network for survivors and vie tinut of impaired driving accidents ADD has established The Nell Gray Memorial Fund Money from that will finance newspaper radio and billboard advertising Television time is too exp ensive says Gray but both national net works have zeroed In with either news broadcasts or documentary Items Film nights and speaking tours are also central to ADDs strategy Friends of their late son have joined for ces with them as well with a group called Teen ADD which aims to publicize In the schools the dangers of drinking and driv tog Part of their aim says Gray is to counteract lifestyle ads used by bear and liquor companies to promote then- products Though he says statistics in dicate most drunk drivers are to the range lifestyle ads reaching those at impressionable ages are part of the problem Lifestyle ads have an effect be says They tell us it is okay to drink bear and fly balloons to drink and drive speed boats The underlying suggestion be says is that drinking does not impair your abilities when in fact one beer will im pair your abilities to a certain extent ADD is not declaring war on drinking however If people want to get themselves blotto and destro their brain cells thats fine says Gray OurorganixaUonwantstotell them not to drink and drive Perhaps the hardest task ADD hat taken on Is counselling victims and survivors but It is one the Grays have taken on with the compassion bred by tragic experience On a number of occasions they have gone to offer their condolences to parents who have lost children and Gray says the response is usually warm We are able to share with people how we felt he says and it makes all the As with Ihe Grays survivors often find that involvement in ADD fights the sense of helplessness that comes with grief They tell me there Is nothing more therapeutic than getting involved and finally doing something good he says Gray says that ADD has members from Hills but It is his hope that It too will join the list of communities forming chapters Those wishing to contact ADD can write to Tanager Square ton or phone Region Briefs Increasing Centre use Acton Social Services and information centre saw a dramatic Increase in use during the first six months of this year The offices were used by various Community agencies times up per cent from 153 occasions the previous year In general it would appear that our move to larger more visible quarters on Mill St has not only Increased the pub- lies awareness of the centre and its ser vices but also increased the usability for agency workers reported the centres coordinator Peggie to the regions Social Services Department Load restrictions There should be a year round load res triction season Implemented by Halton municipalities and the region the Plan and Public Works Committee recommended Wednesday The move would permit any road in Halton to have load restrictions posted at any time when it is susceptible to dam age from heavy traffic during freezing weather when It Is already in a weakened condition or when it is used as a detour and faces traffic which It was not designed to support Water sewer bills Residents of Halton Huts may face Increases of per cent in their water and sewer bills from the region In 1984 For the average home owner that means a charge of about annually The Planning and Public Works approved the Increases that put Halton Hills well below the average increases for other municipalities in the region Burlington faces a per cent increase as does Milton while Oakville could see a 3 8 per cent rise The relatively small jump for Halton Hills is because the town paid higher annual charges compared to the others In 1983 and all are projected to face equal ited rates In the coming year watermains delayed A lack of information at the region could mean construction for a Glen Williams Local Improvement Pro could be delayed mil IMS was petitioned to construct a from Confederation St to the second bridge crossing the Credit River as well as one on Prince St from Main St to the cemetery a halt mile distant An Information night was held and in put received from the public but tbe region it still unsure of the exact of the mains requested by tbe realdenU and also lacks adequate asseameat maps pin pointing the location of each homeowner Tbe Public Works Department wants tbe region to out over next year to set up a laboratory tor water Quality testing Members of the Planning and Public Works Committee were told that Halton currently relies on the federal and pro labs as wen faculties at samples lake a back seat regular work of these labs tbe rattans ban had to wast to B wanks to oat a of water region bat beta ashsd to n l newsmakers Georgetown Acton Wednesday November IB Motantajnvfcsw 8775108 Toronto Una Hydro budget is up 95 The new proprietors of the General store and post office are Shirley Kim and Kathy Yates The Yates took over the yearold post office last Saturday Violet Stevens closes book on 14 years as postmistress Hills Hydros budget will go up approximately fl per cent for 1384 but manager Jerry Trudell notes only about one per cent of the Increase goes for running the utility most of the Increased spending goes to Ontario Hydro He explained Hydros charge to the local utility will range from a to per cent Trudell noted Halton Hills Hydro sots a budget based on Its expected costs for runn ing the system Then Ontario Hydro takes that budget and adds to It the cost of buying power and calculates what the new electric Ity rates should be in Hills For 1983 the commission projects reven ues at and of that is spent purchasing electricity from Ontario Hydro Total operating costs for this year are expected to hit In addition the 1983 capital cost is projectd at 409 leaving Halton Hills Hydro with a surplus of approximately 32000 to carry over to 1984 For IBM mils Hydro is planning on receiving lie in revenue and winding up with a surplus of at the end of the year Cost of buying power next year has been pegged at 320 while operating costs will amount to The commission also plans to spend replacing old overhead wires on underground power systems 23000 updating substations replac ing metres updating transformers 38 on new trucks and cars developing recently acquired property at the Acton hydro office on tools and on office equipment Another Is pegged Tor Installing hydro services in new subdivisions In Hills in but Halton Hills Hydro will recover this cost The total budget for next year has been set at 309 After 14 years as the post mis tress Violet Stevens has stepped down to allow the Yates family from Toronto to take over the business The Yates Shirley Patrick Kim Cathy and Charlie took possesion of the lime house post office and general store November IB and It was business as usual November 19 It our first try at a retail business said Mrs Yates and weve moved Into the house beside the store We bought the store continued Mrs Yates because I loveold places and this is one of the nicest villages Ive ever seen The Yates are the eighth family to run the Llmehouse post office since It opened In Historically the pott office has an Inter esting background In It was operated from the old hotel which still stands beside the genera store today as a residence At that time the hamlet was called Fountain Green and had only 17 registered land owners to its credit As soon as the post office opened the first postmaster John Newton changed the villages name to to 1B77 the post office was moved to its present site but It burned down in 1888 The following year a resident John McDermid rebuilt the post office within a genera store and that post office has remained virtually Ihe same since The fire that destroyed the post office back In 1888 could have gutted the whole village If It werent for the quick action of Georgetown horsedrawft fire engine which arrived on the scene Just before the flames spread further The post office has had a number of postmasters In lis year history After John Newton left in 1887 his son James took over until 1920 The Johnson family ran the office for the next 15 years and in 1935 Frank Benton took over In Isabel Benton took control and ran the busi ness for the next years In 1987 Aurel stayed only a year as did James Duggan in 1968 After Violet Stevens bacame of the Lime house post office and held the position until November IB of this year A Limehouse resident Eva Patterson who was bom and raised in the area said As long as I can remember Llmehouse the post office has always been there Eva also noted They postmasters can tell you mostly anything you need to know about what is going on in town Hopefullythrougbsnowsleet rain or fire the Llmehouse post office will continue to prosper under the Yates as it has for the last 115 years Province will provide 60 of 60000 tourism study Ontario Minister of Tourism and tlon Reuben C BaeU announced his Min istry la prepared to provide up to per cent of the funding to a maximum of for a tourism development plan for the Regional Municipality of Halton The Regional Municipality of will assume responsibility for the remaining per cent of the cost of the study estimated to total Halton chairman Jack said that the consultant selected to undertake the study would give careful consideration to existing tourist attractions within the Region Including the Kelso Conservation Area in Milton the limestone kilns In Hills Gairloch Gardens in and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington These arc but a few of the lovely tourist attractions that can be used in developing the most appropriate which for the pro motion of tourism in the Halton Region A study steering committee has been formed and includes representative from Halton agencies Corn fetches higher price Hydro finalizes purchase of extra Acton property By Jane Mailer Local corn growers are making from 50 to more per tonne for their crop this year than last despite late planting A bumper crop in the United States last year held prices to as low as per tonne in Canada to reaction to the glut President Ronald Reagan Instigated a Payment In KindltPIK program CroU farmers participating in the program allowed some of their fields to be idle in exchange Tor portions of the 1983 crop still In storage What the president had not counted on was a drought and low crop yield this year In the US The result has been good news for Cana dian farmers However some farmers did notplantcornthisseason An extremely wet spring kept machinery off the fields the first and second week of June Halton Hills Hydro manager Jerry Trudell plans to visit Bower Ave Acton residents Individually to discuss plans to develop land to the north of the homes Friday at the commission meeting reported the purchase of lands north and east of the hydro on Alice St Acton from Printing and Publishing tor has been flnalixed Trudell explained tbt lands will be developed as part of hydros works department to Acton Design work on fen arid other as of the expansion are bring prepared now Hydro can anywhere on tts new lands except si School Creek He nest construction would take place at the of new pared of land Plans Credit Valley Conservation Authority guidelines and CVCA and Town plsmung department approvals be needed noted Hydro hopes to get started on develop ment of its new property with clearing of the land by early January Some neighbors are encroaching on toe new hydro lands with gardens etc Cotnmlssioner Mutt Allison suggested the Ave but bis colleagues fed If Trudell met with tbem first and reported back It would be better there are problems then win become Trudell pr meet with each n properly hydros plans He win adi tans Is la take state seas sewlbty taw week