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Would you use VIA 250 Acton homes to get questionnaire Would you use VIA passenger trains If there was a atop In Acton That of the about households will be asked to the next couple of weeks as a marketing kJcka off the local campaign to convince VIA to once again stop trains here Councillor Rick Bonpette and interim Chamber of Commerce president Steve Dawkins announced this week that fin grade Acton High School marketing class bos agreed to conduct the Final approval for the surrey and the associated costs is expected to be given tomorrow Thursday at the Chambers board meeting Bonnette will make a presentation to the Chamber board which Is meeting at 1230 at the Station Hold The students would be taking the tlonnalre to about 250 homes or about one household In seven in Acton Since it is a household and not an dual questionnaire for a few days before students return to pick them up raised the idea of urging VIA I again stop passenger trains here at a recent council meeting Both be and Dawkins reported they heard strong support for the idea from the community described the response he received as Overwhelming At Fridays council dropto Dave Whiting and Jake keg both said they too have heard support for a VIA stop here from Whiting noted one caller said be thought a VIA stop would be a good idea but also urged GO institute express bus service from here to Toronto Councillor Rosa said he a received do feed back on this issue Passenger trains stopped here for many years and then with few riders the service was stopped in the early 70s Since then however circumstances have changed says He notes Acton has grown by about 1500 people much or the growth coming in the and Klngham areas where there are a lot of commuters who might use VIA trains to get to and from work commuters believe a VIA stop here would be popular with seniors and others who have cars or drive who want to go to the city for shopping or entertainment As weU they believe people might encourage friends or relatives to come to Acton by train if there was a stop here A VIA stop here would also beneficial In the drive to bring tourists and shoppers here from east and west of Acton The survey Is designed to give an Indies of many commuters and other potential train users would use the train under the current schedule if there was a stop here Dawkins explained Those at homes surveyed will be asked 1 how long they ve lived here where they work bow they get to work car Go bus GO train etc bow often they d likely use the VTA train for work or pleasure do they have friends or relatives who would use the train to visit here if there was a stop here It will be a short questionnaire Anyone who Isn surveyed Is encouraged Continued on pages If Councillor Rick and the Chamber of Commerce have their way VIA this one will be stopping in Acton Instead of Just whining through town REAL ESTATE SEHVCES LTD REALTOR 170 GUELPH STREET GEORGETOWN A METROLAND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER GEORGETOWN TRUCKS GEORGETOWN 8770149 One Hundred and Ninth ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 38 Pages Cents Reject appeal forMercuri McCristaB Appeals by two men found guilty of causing the death of Howard Gibbons in the Hotel blaze In August 1979 were dismissed Wednesday by the Ontario Court of Appeals was found guilty of second degree murder almost two years ago and sentenced to life Imprisonment with parole considerations in 10 years Mike Mc Crista was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to two years less a day at the Ontario Cbrrec tkmal Centre In Brampton He bad been charged with second degree murder also The convictions came at the end of a sensational six week trial in MarchApril Gibbons died of smoke Inhala lion during a fire which razed the century old Dominion Hotel August 19 Mercurl who has spent the past two years at the Hamilton Detention Centre awaiting his appeal has been taken to penitentiary near Kingston who has been out on bail since shortly after his conviction Is now in custody at the Hamilton detention centre and ts awaiting further assignment Roy Cornale of Arthur s law office and solicitor for Mercurl told this newspaper there were a number of legal points argued last Wednesday but the court of appeal indicated that each of the points were not In error and no error In lew had taken place on the part of the trial judge Both men have the right to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada Also charged In the case was Leonard who has acquitted by the Jury three weeks of Crown evidence The trial brought forth a selfconfessed arsonist who testified owner of the hotel had approached htm to torch the building Also on the witness stand were two women with whom had affairs hotel staff numerous fire fighters accountants eye witnesses to the fire and many more totalling witnesses Evidence indicated Mercurl was in financial difficulty and a two week suspension of his liquor licence was pending at the time of the fire Councillors learn of more problems with ambulances With the late realty taste MyTo try oat trail Censer area resides she and her Bred la Nortt Nsmgaweya ever it years before la Part Credit a of back She used to work la the Metretaad rnmsMlsf room at MJssksaaga she has taken duties at Free Press sister AaVerUeraarazsB Photo GRAHAM PAINE Three area people get OPP awards for bravery A couple and a w recipients the jBrevery Award Stanley and Elisabeth and Mrs Susan Simpson win receive their award March at a special awards presentation to Burlington On Saturday April 1912 at 1045 Deputy Commhanonfr pa be the stopped at a car on Highway 1 One la the ditch on its Mrs Pitrida of Moffat roof In three helped will receive a St John Ambulance remove four people from Award at the same Urn the ear On July If 1963 at axn Mrs Restive was at Erie Cove Lake Erie Selkirk when she helped two men take a woman from the waters of Lake Erie Mrs and revived tba woman Councillors learned of a number of new problems with ambulances serving Acton from Guelph and Georgetown from a citizen at Friday a council drop- In This resident a woman was 111 and couldnt attend dropin so she phoned the Acton Social Services and Information to pass on her comments on this issue Councillor Dave Whiting who took the call Jake and Ross Kenchtel were quite surprised by some of her experiences with the am The woman told Whiting she used the ambulances from Guelph and Georgetown about times between last April and December and has found the service to be generally terrible She has always been taken to a Guelph hospital by George town ambulances but on one occasion the trip took longer than It should have because the driver became lost trying to find the hospital Another time it took minutes far an ambulance to get to her home Whiting said The most blatant example of poor service was the time she was taking a Guelph ambulance and the shift was dunged during the trip The woman who baa aetata heart problems reported that one ambulance attendant was dropped off at bis home and another attendant picked up at 1 during her trip to the hospital She was asked if she minded and of course said since she was quite ill that she did mind Id be a little upset too Whiting said while sharing this resident observations with his colleagues He said he has received more comma ts from taxpayers on this issue than any other he can recall certainly many more Continued page Inside pigs were destroyed hi fire la past weekend la the ana Viae stares My theyre